Dee's Daddy
by 1Pagan3
Summary: When a well meaning witch chooses to help Dean out of the crossroads deal, it leaves one brother not himself, and the other in over his head.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey there... just something that had been tap dancing in my head for a little while... hope you like it. OH and: **I own nothing of Kripke's creation, just borrowing, will return when finished.**

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Dean was tired, in fact, he was exhausted. He had three weeks, two days and fifteen hours before the deal was complete and he had been running on empty for months trying to destroy as many demons he could before the hellhounds came and collected. Looking over at his brother, he knew that Sammy felt the same way. Not only had his brother been by his side this whole time, jumping into situations that would make seriously disturbed people hesitate, but had been going without sleep for days at a time to find a way to get him out of the deal. No matter how many times he had tried to get his brother to slow down, Sammy kept going, feeling the countdown as keenly as he did; feeling the pressure as if it was his own fate hanging in the balance.

"Hey Sammy" he called out waking his brother, "there's a motel up ahead, I was thinking about stopping for the night."

Looking around, Sam had to admit that even though it was still light outside, they really needed to stop and regroup. The last hunt had taken a lot out of both of them to the point that he was surprised Dean could keep the Impala on the road. "Uh, yeah, sounds good Dean. Do you think they'll have an internet connection?"

Grinning, Dean already had a place picked out; it had been the one criteria his little brother insisted on. They could sleep on the bare floor, but as long as the place had a way to access the internet then it was good enough for him. "Gotcha covered Sammy."

It took them less than ten minutes to get checked in and actually in their room which they had to admit wasn't as bad as what they were expecting. For once the beds looked as if the sheets had been changed in the last decade and there was only a slight smell that after great consideration, both believed that it smelled more like the remnants of a joint than anything else.

Flipping a coin for first shower, Dean was still chuckling as he closed the bathroom door leaving his brother to wonder just how long it would take for him to get hot water for a shower because he knew that laugh; Dean was going to use up every drop he could.

Sighing, Sam allowed himself a moment to relax on the bed to help stretch some of the kinks out before he powered up his laptop and started to check his emails hoping that one of his contacts had managed to come through. The only thing that was posted however was an advertisement for an online degree in medicine from a place in the Bahamas. Shaking his head, he quickly deleted it and started his standard search through museum archives. Before he knew it, Dean was tapping him on the shoulder and looking at him with concern.

"Dude, you alright? I've been calling you for the past five minutes." Dean asked worried about the late response his brother seemed to have going at the moment.

Sam looked at Dean sheepishly, "Sorry man, I was uh… you know."

Dean did know, it was the reason why they had two laptops now, so there could be no way that he could accidentally come across the research Sammy was doing. Smiling, he nodded. "Hey, you know what, I'm beat. I want the two of us to go out and have a good time. Grab some food, play some pool, maybe jump in a card game or two or whatever. I want to hang out with my little brother for awhile. What do you say?"

Shocked, Sam looked at Dean and realized that he was serious. In the past year, Dean had seemed to be in full throttle to either kill anything demon related, or bang anything with legs, there hadn't been too much 'brotherly bonding' to speak of, and for him to come up with this now made Sam cringe inside. He knew that time was running out, and he was determined to save his big brother, just like he promised the same for him, but there was no way he would refuse Dean this night. "Sure, sounds good. Let me get cleaned up first then we'll head out."

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It was sometime past midnight and Dean had it in his head that they should visit every bar within walking distance just to make sure they got the full range of the local flavor. Sam had to admit that the he was having a good time; it was the first time in awhile that he could remember having the evening devoted to just them. In fact, the last time that he remembered the two of them hanging out like this was before he left for Stanford, and he knew that it was mostly his fault; he had changed while away, not letting himself relax as much, always keeping a part of himself reserved. Tonight though was going to be different, tonight he was going to make sure that he and Dean had a great time, one they would never forget.

Dean couldn't help but smile, tonight was great. Sammy had been relaxed through the whole evening reminding him of times that they used to hang out before he went to Stanford. He knew that his brother had to keep things from his friends, and even Jessica, he just had never imagined that his brother's new attitude would drift over to their life; so seeing the younger Sammy back in action was defiantly a nice change. He wondered if it would be too much to ask that his little brother stayed this way after he was gone, he knew that Sam would work night and day to find some abstract loophole in the deal; but if it didn't work, he wanted his little brother to be just like he is now – happy.

Joking around as they walked down the sidewalk, it took them a moment before they were able to distinguish an out of place sound off to their right somewhere. Taking only a moment to glance at each other, they both quickly took off in the direction of the noise noticing that it was coming from a cemetery. Not sure what they were running into they both were about to back off until they could bring the right tools for the job, but then they heard the distinctive sound of a woman scream and they knew they couldn't wait.

Running further into the cemetery, they saw a woman being tossed around like a rag doll by what appeared to be the ghost of a man. Not liking what they saw, they separated to try and distract the spirit until the woman could get away. It wasn't until she started yelling that they realized she was there for a reason, and she needed help in finishing it.

"I've already salted him, but he showed up before I could light him!" she yelled before starting an incantation that only seemed to piss the spirit off more.

Dean saw the lighter fluid and matches and yelled to Sam to cover him while he took care of Casper. Sam knew that the only way he was going to be able to do that was to be bait; he hated being bait.

While Sam yelled and tried to keep the spirit busy, Dean drenched the grave and the remains inside with lighter fluid, and the woman continued to enrage the spirit more with her enchantments. Finally Dean jumped out of the grave and tossed in a lit match making the spirit dissolve in mid screech.

Looking at each other it took them a while before they realized that they had no idea what to do next. Finally the woman stuck out her hand and walked up to Sam, then to Dean.

"Thank you! My name's Lillian Peterson and you helped me more than you know."

Dean looked at the young woman and wondered about what he saw. It was obvious that she knew the man, but had no idea how or what she had been chanting that had him so ticked.

Sam knew what his brother was thinking, and he was wondering the same thing. Before he had a chance to think further along those lines, Lillian spoke up again clarifying the issue.

"That was my husband; he died from a drunk driving incident while I was out of the country. He and I both agreed that when one of us died, we'd be cremated, however his brother thought we were both crazy for our beliefs and before I was even on the plane home, had Frank buried instead." She paused for a moment, "Needless to say between the traumatic death and the botched service, he needed to be put to rest."

Confused, Sam had to ask, "Botched service?"

Nodding, Lillian started gathering her things while she answered. "His brother believed that a hole was as good as any other, and there was no point having a clergyman preside over the burial if the person wasn't even 'right with God' as he would say." Seeing their confusion she only answered, "I'm a witch, and although Frank wasn't even a practicing Wiccan, his brother was confident that we both would burn in hell."

Feeling some of the confusion lift, the brothers nodded in understanding. It still amazed them how closed minded some people were. "So, you were trying a binding spell on him and he didn't like it?" Dean asked suddenly seeing how things had gone down in a new light.

"I had always promised him that I wouldn't use my gifts against him – ever. Now the one time I did, he still understood what it meant, and he wasn't happy about it." She said solemnly. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she looked at them and finally asked, "So, do I call you guys 'hey you' and 'whatshisname' or do you have normal names that you go by?"

Laughing, both Sam and Dean introduced themselves even as they wondered about the wisdom of revealing so much to a witch.

"Wait… Sam and Dean Winchester? As in, the two hunter brothers Winchester's?" she asked shocked. After seeing their hesitant agreement her smile faded, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know! If it's any consolation, I'll help in any way I can, it's the least that I can do for helping me put Frank to rest."

Confused, both Sam and Dean looked at each other, then back at the dark haired woman before asking, "Huh?"

"The deal that's almost due. There's been a murmuring in the supernatural realm that the demons are getting anxious to get their hands on you Dean."

Suddenly, the night's fun that they had been having dissipated and left a leaden feeling in the pits of both their stomachs, making both boys wish they hadn't heard Lillian's cries.

"Uh, yeah. Look, it was nice meeting you, but we need to go." Sam said quietly, leading the way away from the woman. It wasn't until they got to the gate that they heard her speak again.

"I promise I'll find a way to help you!"

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Both Sam and Dean had enough of the night and decided the best course of action was to head back to the motel and attempt a few hours sleep before they got up and started out again. Walking into their room, neither said a word as they both stripped down to their t-shirts and boxers and crawled into bed. Neither said a word as the weight of their situation caught up with them again.

Across town in a small house with a white picket fence, wrap around porch and an English Garden in the back, Lillian couldn't believe what she heard. "You have got to be kidding me!... Well why would they have thought of it? It's not exactly in the most mainstream way of thinking!... No, I'm not getting pissy with you… Oh, just chew on your mouse or something."

She couldn't believe that her familiar, Wicca, had such an outlandish idea, not that it should have surprised her, but that was beside the point. If she did it, she knew that it bordered breaking the 'Do No Harm' rule, but if she did nothing then she would be standing by and allowing someone to pay a price that no one should have been asked to pay to begin with; especially since the whole scenario had been rigged to begin with. Sighing, she paced back and forth across her work room casting glances at Wicca periodically before groaning. "Come on… really?"

Seeing the truth in her cat's eyes, and knowing deep down that time was running out, she sighed and pulled a large grimoire off her shelf and started gathering her supplies. "This better work Wicca, otherwise you and I have a date with a tanner." She said, making sure there was no misunderstanding to what she meant, before she started on her spell.

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Sam knew there was something wrong even before he opened his eyes. He heard what sounded like a child crying and then he felt the bed shift, shaking him out of the rest of his sleep. Before he even had a chance to open his mouth in surprise a tiny voice sounded close to his ear.

"Dee had bad dream Daddy, make it go 'way."

Sitting suddenly upright sent a wave of dizziness through Sam to the point that he thought that he'd pass out. Then it was the realization that it wasn't the sitting up that had him close to oblivion, it was the little girl in his bed calling him 'Daddy'. A little blonde haired, green eyed, freckled faced little girl wearing his brother's t-shirt and medallion, a little girl named 'Dee', a little girl… oh for Christ's sake… DEAN!

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AN: Well... did you like it???? 


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Hey there... I wasn't planning on updating this one so quick, but I had several requests for another one, and who am I to refuse? So, I hope I did it justice...

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It had taken almost a half hour to calm his brother… daughter… the little person in his arms enough for him… _her_… to go back to sleep. The whole situation was racing through Sam's head like a continuous loop and he couldn't seem to get it to slow down enough to grasp a single thought, much less analyze what must have happened. So, instead, he had stiffly cradled Dea…ee up close and quietly told… _her_… that everything was alright and nothing bad was going to happen. Only, it already had… hadn't it? Trying not to disturb the little bundle next to him, he crawled out of bed and covered her up with the blankets before starting his pacing across the floor.

Sam had no idea what to do, well, that wasn't entirely true; but he didn't think running out of a motel room screaming into the early morning would be a good idea. Looking back at the little body asleep on his bed curled up in the covers, he wasn't sure there was enough coffee on the planet to help him wrap his head around the situation. He knew that his brother Dean had gone to sleep when he did, but somehow had been turned into Dee – his daughter! The realization that they had passed the need for coffee and gone straight into the whiskey zone hit him hard, and he really wished his brother was there to help him deal with it; and wasn't _that_ ironic in itself?

Sighing, he sat on the edge of the bed and watched as the sleeping girl seemed to try and snuggle closer to him. Reaching out, he tentatively touched the straight blonde hair and had the urge to cry. Not only for the sudden feeling of loss of his brother, but because this little girl was the exact image that he and Jess had always thought their little girl would look like. Jess had always insisted that he would make a great dad and had periodically drawn him into the 'what if…' game of parenthood. The results were always the same; as many children as they could take care of, and at least one girl – blonde, freckled, and green eyes. Their friends had laughed and said _'Of course, you two will have a little Jess'_, but it hadn't taken him long to realize that she had picked out the description from his mom's photo, and he couldn't help but love her even more for it. Now though, he was looking at a miniature replica of his mother and he couldn't help but wonder about it.

A quiet knock on the door startled him out of his thoughts and he quickly pulled his gun from his bag before checking the window to see the woman from the night before standing there. His brother's transformation, a witch, and a promise to help; it all clicked into place with a suddenness that almost sent him to his knees. Instead though, he flung open the door, grabbed her by the blouse and dragged her inside all while pointing his gun in her face making her eyes as huge as saucers.

"Wait! I came to explain!" Lillian said frantically, knowing that she would only have one shot to make her case, because in all honesty, she didn't blame him for being ticked.

Quickly shutting the door, Sam made sure that no one was lurking about before he hissed, "Make it quick, because lady, you screwed with the wrong people."

Looking at the gun still being pointed at her, she nodded and began, "After I got home, I was pondering the deal your brother made. I'm sure you've already figured out that it wasn't a fair trade; that the whole thing was a set up from the beginning." Seeing his questioning look, she sighed. "You dying was just a way to position Dean into something he would never normally do. The deal, the amount of time he got, it was all staged. From what I've been hearing, you're not exactly living up to certain expectations, and those involved needed a way to push you into it. Without Dean around, they knew that you'd be easier to manipulate. They could wait a year, they couldn't wait ten. Things are heating up, more people are taking notice, and that's making them more than a little nervous. They need _you_ to do what's expected, so _they_ can take over."

"I hear you talking, and most of it I already know, the rest… let's just say I humor you and agree. What does that have to do with you turning Dean into a _girl_?" Sam asked, he was normally a sympathetic and patient man, but when his brother was involved; all bets were off.

"The terms of the agreement are for Dean's soul to be collected at the end of the year, correct? Dean isn't here right now, therefore at the end of the contract, the term will expire, but there will be nothing to collect. Null and void."

Sam groaned, he was starting to see the logic, however flawed it was, and he was trying hard to rein in his temper. "Ok, so basically, you've hidden Dean until what… time's up? What's going to happen when he turns back? Oh God, he will turn back, right?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"Of course, but only after the agreement has been either fulfilled, or nullified. There is no way that they can take an innocent child in place of your brother, that's why I sent him back to whatever age he is, back to a time when he was still unaware of what lurked in the shadows; a time of true innocence."

Confused, Sam looked between the bed and Lillian. "Ok, but a girl, and my daughter?"

Lillian shrugged, "It's a safeguard, just to make sure that they can't find a loophole. I'm sorry Sam, I wanted to say something to you first, but then… I was advised not to. I don't fully understand why, but I was told that if you knew ahead of time, it could still enact a second part of the deal. I thought this would be safer, I'm sorry."

Sorry… she was sorry, and he was… what… _horrified_? Was that the word he was looking for? Suddenly a thought worried him. "Does he _know_? I mean that he's a…"

"I think you're asking if he's aware of the change… no. To _her_, she's your little girl and that's all she has ever been. Whether or not _he_ will remember this time as your daughter, I don't know… that was a little foggy in the description." She said; disappointed in herself that she hadn't slowed down enough to investigate that avenue.

Nodding, Sam was sure that there were other things he needed to know, but he still was getting over the shock of being an instant daddy, and he was ashamed to say; he wasn't taking the news well at all.

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He had already known that the morning was going to be rough; after all it wasn't every morning that your big brother is suddenly your three year old daughter – right? So after scouring the bags for _anything_ that might fit Dee even a little bit, it was quickly decided that as soon as the stores opened, they were going shopping. However, there was a little situation about breakfast that needed to be handled first.

Stepping into the small diner next to the motel, Sam was bombarded with a mixture of looks that went from adoring to disgust. It took him a moment to understand that Dee was still in Dean's t-shirt, and barefoot. While she didn't notice anything except her tiny fist still trying to work the sleep out of her eyes, Sam was feeling more than a little uncomfortable with the attention they were getting. Seeing a booth in the back, Sam tightened his arm around Dee and he carried her toward it as if there was nothing out of the ordinary.

It didn't take long for Sam to realize three things. The first was Dee only ate what her daddy ate – no exceptions; second: she was very much a daddy's girl and would not even consider being anywhere except by his side; third: once Dee fully woke up, so did her energy level and it rivaled the Energizer bunny.

"Daddy, we go to zoo today?" Dee asked as she stood on the bench seat and looked out the window all the while pressing her face to the window enjoying the feeling of the coolness against her cheek.

Stunned, Sam looked at Dee and while sitting her back down answered, "I'm not sure. I think we need to get you some new clothes first."

Dee seemed to think about that for a moment before asking. "Sand'ls too? Peese Daddy… peese?"

Not able to help himself, Sam laughed at how adorable this little girl was… no, not _this_ little girl – _his_ little girl. Suddenly, something started to fall into place and his concern from earlier started to melt away. "Alright, sandals too… but only if you sit and eat some more breakfast, ok?"

Excited, Dee nodded her head. "K, Daddy!"

Satisfied that they had come to some sort of understanding, Sam helped Dee butter her toast and watched as she ate while watching the people walk past. Thinking that he had about another thirty seconds to try and get a couple of more bites in, he was surprised when Dee dropped her toast, gasped while holding her hands over her mouth, and her eyes got even bigger that what they were normally. 'Oh my God! What the…' he thought, wondering what was wrong. She didn't look like she was choking, and he didn't see anything out of the ordinary outside, so he was completely confused.

"I forgot Daddy… I sowwy." Dee said finally as she stood on her seat and took Dean's necklace off, placing it around his neck. "There that better!" Dee said as she gave him a big hug and a kiss on his cheek.

Not sure what to say, Sam smiled and gave her a hug back, all the while hoping and praying that he didn't screw up before he got his brother back.

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Finding a department store open after breakfast had been the easy part, keeping Dee occupied while trying to find clothes that fit her was another story. Part of the problem was that he had no idea what he was doing. He knew what he liked, he knew what his brother liked, but what do you buy a little girl who a day a go was your brother? The answer hit him suddenly when Dee squealed in delight at a purple shirt with puppies on it; _you_ don't, _they_ do. Hoping that Dean wouldn't remember any of this, he watched as Dee pointed out tops with bows, shorts with ruffles, and an assortment of other items he knew that if his brother found out; he'd be dead – again. Allowing Dee to pick and choose certain clothes made the experience a little less traumatic for both of them, and even allowed Sam to enjoy a happy little girl when she suddenly saw a stuffed hound dog. After getting the 'puppy dog eyes' that his brother always claimed he did, he said 'yes' making Dee jump up and down while squeezing the stuffed animal so hard he thought the stitching would come undone.

Between the clothes, sandals, booster seat for the car, and of course some coloring books and crayons, they walked out of the store a couple hundred dollars lighter and several bags heavier. By the time Sam got the car seat put in, Dee changed into a new outfit, and the rest of the bags in the trunk, they both were ready for lunch, and then if possible, maybe the zoo. First though, a McDonald's had to be found and Sam just hoped that Ronald wasn't making a personal appearance today.

So lost in his own thoughts, it wasn't until they pulled to a stop in the parking lot that Sam noticed that Dee hadn't said anything since leaving the store, and instead had a very intense look on her face. "Dee, what's wrong?" he asked, thinking that anything that her concentrating that hard had to be monumental.

"Potty, Daddy!" she said pitifully, turning her big eyes to him.

Quickly unbuckling the car seat, he scooped her up and rushed into the fast food restaurant knowing that he should have thought of this a lot sooner. Reaching the bathrooms he suddenly stopped not knowing what to do. A three year old couldn't be left alone in a public bathroom, but he shouldn't take her into the men's, but then again he couldn't go into the women's either…

"Ok, Daddy… I ready." She said covering her eyes.

Shaking his head, Sam could only wonder about this little girl and how adaptable she really was. Pushing open the door, he was suddenly thankful that she had her eyes closed since there were several men at the urinals not caring who saw what. Helping her get situated in a stall, he turned around until she needed help, then after washing both their hands he picked her back up and took her to pick out her lunch.

The energetic Dee was back and asking questions none stop around her cheeseburger and French fries, the most entertaining was _'Daddy, you think my doggy have puppies now?'_ In which case he had to explain to her the very sad news that no, her doggy wouldn't have puppies because he was a boy; and only girl doggies had puppies, and only after they got married…sometime after they turned fifty.

Watching Dee on the indoor playground, Sam had to wonder how his Dad and Dean did it. From all the stories he had been told about when he was small, and what he was experiencing now, he was amazed that neither one went totally insane. 'Well, ok, more insane that what hunter's normally were anyway.' He mused as he listened to Dee giggle while she went down the slide; now he knew why she didn't want any dresses.

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Yes, Sam knew that the morning was going to be rough, but he had no idea that the day was going to end so badly. Looking in the rear view mirror, he checked again to see if they were being followed, and after confirming that they were the only ones on the dirt road, he looked over and saw Dee with her tear stained face still sobbing.

Pulling off the road into an overgrown driveway, he reached over and pulled Dee into his lap. "Shhh, it's ok Dee, we lost them. It's ok… shhh." He kept repeating it over and over again, until he felt her relax and finally drift to sleep. Waiting until he was certain she wasn't awake anymore; he dug out his cell phone and hit the speed dial. After three rings, the call was answered.

"_Sam? That you? Where the hell have you and your brother been boy? Don't you know..."_

"Bobby, we're in trouble. Hendrickson found us."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Ok... to be honest, I'm not a hundred percent happy with this chapter, but knew that spending more time on it was detrimental to my sanity. Hope you enjoy anyway!

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It had never occurred to Sam to look at the news this morning, which was completely out of character for him, but could be forgiven since he had been a little distracted. So when he saw the stares at the McDonald's, he didn't think too much about it. After all, it was the middle of the day and most dads were at work, not playing with kids in the Playground of the neighborhood MickeyD's. God how he wished it had been just that. Now though, he had a scared little girl in his arms, a frantic Bobby on the phone, and the FBI breathing down his neck. Yeah, the day could have gone a little better.

"_Daddy, we go to zoo now?" Dee asked, looking at her Daddy with wide eyes._

_Sam had known that was coming, he had hoped to postpone it to another day, only because he was still getting used to this new side of him and didn't want to ruin it for her. "I'm not sure Dee, I tell you what, let's get some ice cream and…"_

"_FBI FREEZE! DOWN ON THE GROUND WINCHESTER!"_

_Standing as still as he could, Sam managed to pull Dee closer to him with one arm and hold up his other to show he wasn't a threat. Confused about what had just happened, he was about to ask one of the many agents surrounding him when he suddenly felt Dee being ripped away from him. "HEY! Bring her back!" Sam yelled, and moved towards the agent that had taken her away from him. It wasn't until he heard the voice behind him that he knew he was thoroughly screwed._

"_Well, I must say, I really didn't think I'd be able to add kidnapping to your list of charges Sammy, but then again, you always like to follow that psychotic brother of yours don't you?" Hendrickson asked as he walked up, ignoring Dee's screams in the background._

"_Damn it, you're scaring her! Leave her alone, she's just a baby!" Sam yelled, pulling away from the agents who had already grabbed his arms and held him back._

_Smirking, Hendrickson looked at Sam, "Right, and suddenly you're what… father of the year? Give me a break, more like following in your crazy daddy's footsteps!"_

"_DADDY! LET ME GO! DADDY!" Dee screamed, as she kicked and squirmed trying to get out away from the man holding her. Finally she had enough and bit down on the man's arm before she turned and kicked him in the shin as she head butted the man's groin. "My Daddy a good daddy!"_

_Sam watched as Dee started to run towards him, only to be snatched not too gently by the arm and yanked backwards sending the little girl off her feet and Sam into a rage._

_Before Hendrickson knew what happened, Sam had pulled away from one agent punching another in the face hard enough to send him to his knees. Before the others could do anything, Sam had grabbed the first one in a headlock and unarmed the man. "Dee, come on sweetheart, we need to go now." Sam said calmly, all the while watching the other agents for any movement. When he noticed Dee not moving, he tried again. "Come on baby, it's time to go."_

_When Dee ran forward she made sure to stay away from the other agents, but not fully looking at Sam either which made him feel as if he'd been kicked in the gut. As he backed away towards the Impala, he heard Hendrickson mocking him._

"_There's no where to go Sam. I don't know how you and your brother escaped last time, but I'm not going to let it happen again. Speaking of which, where is good old Dean? Did you and he have a little spat? Maybe you two didn't agree with what to do with the girl. Come on Sam, turn yourself in, we'll return her to her parents… it'll be better than being chased all over the place."_

_Sam could hear the man, he could see what he was doing, and it pissed him off more now than the last time they met. Having already put a gun to an agent's head, he wasn't just an accessory anymore, and there was no way he was going to let them take Dee away – none. "Dee, baby, can you get in the car and sit in your seat for Daddy?" he asked, he knew she was three, but that didn't make her helpless; she already proved that with the same moves Dean taught him when he was small. _

_Dragging the agent backwards with them, he looked straight at Hendrickson before saying, "I'm not letting you take my little girl from me… she's all I have left. So, here's how we're going to do this. We're getting in the car, with your agent, and we're leaving. I'm not stupid Hendrickson… I know that no matter what you say, you'll follow. I'll release your man as soon as I know she's safe."_

"_Man, you must think I'm as crazy as you are if you think I'm going to allow that. I'll tell you what's going to happen. My guys will shoot your ass in front of the little girl if necessary and she can spend the rest of her life in therapy for all I care. Now, put the gun away!"_

"_Open the door." Sam commanded the agent and was pleasantly surprised when the man did as he wanted. "Dee, get inside your seat." When he was satisfied that she did as she was told, he backed into the car, dragging the agent with him. Still holding the gun firmly to the man's head, Sam spoke directly to him. "I don't want to hurt you. I want out of here, preferably in one piece. If you do that, I'll let you go on the side of the road unharmed. If not, I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your brain so deep…"_

"_I understand, you want out, and I'm your ticket. You know though that I'll have to try and find a way out of this; I can't just let you go free." The man said calmly while Sam used one hand to start the car._

"_Yeah, and I'm sure you understand that I'm screwed no matter what I do. So, get us out of here."_

_The agent looked at Hendrickson and knew that his supervisor was pissed, but he had a six month old baby at home, and he knew that if someone tried to take him away, he'd be a little on the crazed side too. "Yeah, I get that. I'm only promising breathing room… other than that, you're on your own."_

_He wasn't stupid, he knew that the agent had signaled something to Hendrickson, just by the slight change of expression on the other man's face, but that wasn't his number one concern at the moment. Right now he had to get Dee out of there – one way or another._

_After smashing through a couple of fences to avoid being blocked into the parking lot, they had rushed down a street, with a full police escort in their wake. It was obvious that they thought they were dealing with a mentally unstable man, and he wondered if that had been part of Dean's plan, make him look completely dependent on him so it would be easier to claim that he had been coerced into helping. Shaking his thoughts away, he somehow managed to keep the gun at the man's head while at the same time buckle the car seat and make sure Dee was alright._

"_Dee, how are you?" Sam asked, trying to get her to say something… anything; she was too quiet._

_Finally in between her hiccups, she asked, "Daddy, why bad man mad at you?"_

_Groaning, he could only answer, "It's a very long story sweetheart, and it starts with a huge misunderstanding."_

_The agent that was driving introduced himself as Mickey Tuttle; he was married, with a baby at home. After all, that's what agents being held hostage is supposed to do, find ways to relate to the kidnapper. Sam had about enough of the man when they noticed the car behind them, and although the agent had kept talking as if they were best buddies, Sam had no idea what the other agents were going to do. Finally something clicked, and he suddenly knew what was going on. They had hoped to get him on the highway and try to force him off the road or to stop. Trying it in neighborhoods is risky, but on open road is a lot more manageable._

_Looking over at Dee, Sam saw that she was shocked about what was going on and the only thing that he could think of was to give her the stuffed hound she loved so much that morning. Seeing that she was clutching it as if it was the only thing that could help, Sam knew that he had to do something. Looking at the agent, then back at the road, he had an idea. He just hoped that he could fix the Impala before Dean came back._

_Agent Tuttle had been talking almost non stop for the last forty five minutes. He knew that just driving around wasn't going to help, but he hadn't been able to get into a position to take the guy down with less trauma to the girl. He was closing in on the outskirts of town now, again, and he hoped that this Sam guy hadn't caught on yet. The roads become more dangerous, and it was the main reason there was hardly anyone out of the city limits anymore; too much death and destruction by the roadside. He was just about to check for a turn when he heard the other man yell for the girl to hang on, and then everything lit up before he felt himself tumbling around._

_Sam had noticed that the agent had been doubling back for awhile, but he had allowed it, just so they could get a little further out without getting lost in the process. Seeing his chance, he yelled to Dee to hang on before he grabbed the wheel with one hand and elbowed the agent with his other arm. Opening the door, he pushed the agent out of the moving car, trying to ignore Dee's terrified screams. Once he was satisfied that he hadn't run the man over, Sam pushed the accelerator down further, and crashed through a barbed wire fence to cross a pasture in the hopes of losing the other agents._

"We managed to get away Bobby, but we need a place to stay and I hate to ask, but…"

"Don't worry about it. The main thing is that you two get over to my place. Now, where are you?" Bobby asked, wondering if he had enough time to get back home and make sure Ellen hadn't completely taken over yet.

"At the moment Bobby, we're in Virginia. I don't dare go a direct route and we need to find another ride, so it's going to take us awhile."

Sam heard Bobby's snicker in surprise. "Right, I can just see you and Dean pulling up in something else."

"Bobby, uh, Dean doesn't have much say so at the moment. Look, you'll see what I mean when we get there, but right now I need to find a place to stash the car and get a new one, then we'll be on our way."

Bobby didn't like the sound of that, but decided it was best to leave it alone for now. "Alright, but you had better be able to explain what's going on a whole hell of a lot better when you get here."

Hanging up, Sam smiled, he knew that Bobby cared, but he had no idea how he was going to explain that the only reason why Hendrickson was in the area was because someone fitting Dean's general description had been carjacking young mother's and after dumping them, would then take the car across the state line to dispose of it. That was it; a general description had the FBI back on their asses, and a terrified little girl in his lap.

Sighing, he knew he would never be able to get the questions she kept asking out of his head. 'You not bad guy, righ' Daddy?... why they want me to go 'way?...you not bad guy, righ' Daddy?'

Leaning back, he hoped that he had driven long enough to take a small break. Closing his eyes he snuggled Dee closer to him so he could feel her heartbeat against him, just to make sure she was really there with him. 'No one's taking you away, I promise Dee.'


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I must say this ahead of time... I HAD TO DO IT... and: see AN at end of chapter...

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Sam's mind had been racing non-stop since he put Dee back in her car seat and started down the road again. He knew he needed to stay off the main roads because he had no doubt that an Amber Alert had been issued for Dee, even though the Feds had no idea who she was, and the Impala was pretty distinctive. The more that he thought about it, the more he wanted to shoot something – preferably Agent Hendrickson for being such a pain in the ass.

It was dark, and he continued to drive while Dee slept still holding on to the hound for dear life. Knowing that he was going to have to get gas soon, he prayed that he could find a small station who hadn't received the news yet of an attempted murderer and kidnapper was on the loose. A thought struck him hard and he had to force himself to breathe again – his picture would be plastered everywhere in less than a week, Hendrickson would see to that. He had to wonder if someone had taken a picture of Dee without him knowing it, he hoped not; it would complicate things even more.

He knew that if this had happened a couple of years ago, he would have had more options and probably would have found the humor in it. As it was, he knew that there were both hunters and demons alike that would love to see him dead, and the nuisance of the cops didn't help matters either. Knowing that he was expected to head out of the state as soon as possible, he had taken the risk of going deeper into the state; praying that somehow he could find a place to ditch the Impala until someone could come for her, and come up with a plan that didn't involve getting himself strung up and his little girl thrown into a home.

Suddenly Sam laughed, he couldn't help himself. The thought that a state agency would take his little girl from him, put her in a foster home, and then in a couple of weeks suddenly have a confused Dean instead of a Dee on their hands was morbidly amusing. Now he knew he was tired, stray thoughts that he thought were amusing were usually a pretty good sign that he needed caffeine, and lots of it. Seeing a small gas station off to the side, he quickly pulled in and kept the car as much in the shadows as possible.

Grabbing some cash from the stash they had from Bella, he quickly filled up the tank thankful that it wasn't a prepay pump, and then took a still very sleepy Dee into the station to find a bathroom and some much needed food. It didn't take long to realize that there wasn't going to be much selection in the food category, and they had to settle on some chips, peanut butter crackers, and beef sticks before reaching over and checking the expiration date on some chocolate milk. The clerk had only been a little curious about them when he rang them up, and hadn't even commented about the car which was fine by Sam; he was going to need a little luck to pull this off. Leaving the station Sam looked at Dee and noticed that she was looking at him with wide eyes while chewing on a piece of her beef stick.

"Hey there… you ok?" he asked, knowing that it was an idiotic question, but the only one he could think of.

"Daddy, bad men lie, righ'?" Dee asked, working a thought through her tired mind.

Nodding, Sam agreed, "Yes, bad men lie."

Satisfied, Dee nodded back. "I taught so… you not bad man, they lie!" Dee said firmly, set in the idea that her Daddy was still everything that she knew him to be. "Daddy, what my doggie name?"

Puzzled, Sam wasn't sure what brought on the change, but felt relief just the same. "Uh, I don't know Dee, what do you want to name it?"

After thinking about the question, Dee finally shouted, "PAGE!"

So startled by the name as much as her outburst, it took him a moment to recover so he wouldn't run off the road. Somehow he knew that it was in reference to Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and that just scared the hell out of him. He knew that Lillian told him Dean wasn't aware of the transformation, but how in the world would a three year old know the name of the guitarist. Making a mental note to call Lillian as soon as possible, he just smiled at Dee and continued driving in the night.

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Sam had been listening to the news and it quickly became obvious that the consensus was he had run towards West Virginia, which was lucky for him considering he had actually managed to go the other direction with plans of going into Maryland, maybe even crossing through Washington D.C.; Hendrickson wouldn't think of that – right?

Sighing, he knew he had his work cut out for him, and in order to get Dee to Bobby, he was going to have to come up with something quick because he knew the FBI wasn't going to just forget about him so easily this time. 'Yeah, threatening and kidnapping an agent has a tendency to tick them off.' He thought wryly.

Morning was dawning which meant he needed to find a place to stop and eat before more people were out. Suddenly something hit him – hard! They would look for a tall man, with long dark hair with a scared little girl in tow. The thought that kept ricocheting in his brain made him cringe. 'Man, Dean is going to laugh his ass off when he gets back.'

Pulling off the side of the road he looked at a map and determined that they were in between Charlottesville and Fredericksburg; perfect! He knew that a lot of people out in rural areas were more inclined to help strangers, and he hoped that he wouldn't be let down now. Determined to find someplace safe for a little while, Sam pulled down a side road and looked for something in particular.

Finding an abandoned barn, he drove in and made sure that they couldn't be seen from the road. Sighing in relief, he watched Dee for a moment before he pulled out his cell phone.

"_Hello?"_

"Lillian, I need to ask you something."

There was a slight pause before _"Sure Sam, anything I can help with."_

Sam resisted the urge to remind her that she helped enough already, instead jumping into his question. "How sure are you that Dean isn't aware?"

"_Positive Sam, why?"_ Lillian asked, and then listened to Sam as he explained what happed and why he was worried. _"Sam, I'm sorry. I obviously didn't make myself clear to you. When I said that Dean is your little girl, I meant that he is __your little girl__. She has memories of her time with you and her Uncle Dean because she's Dee- __your daughter__."_

It took everything he had not to drop the phone, "What?!?" he croaked out, sure that he misunderstood.

Lillian sighed, _"We could talk about temporal physics vs. mystic science till the cows came home Sam, but it boils down to one thing. Dee is your daughter; it doesn't matter where she came from or why, but think of her as a place keeper for your brother Dean. When Dean's deal is done, she'll go back to where she belongs. Until then, I'm sorry Sam… this is going to hurt…but enjoy the time you have with your baby."_

Sam continued to sit in the driver's seat after he cut the call, things suddenly clearer. It wasn't that Dee was a miniature Mary, but the child that he and Jessica should have had; did have someplace else apparently. Dean was either in limbo or his essence was still here just not aware, and probably wouldn't ever be. Now he knew why Lillian had apologized for not making herself clear; now he understood that he wasn't Daddy for awhile to his brother turned daughter, but that he was truly a father and was given a glimpse about what he had really missed. The burden of knowing that two souls, not just one hung heavy on him and he wasn't aware of the tears until he felt a tiny hand brush them away.

"Don' cry Daddy, I not goin' anywhere!" Dee said as she looked at Sam.

Smiling, Sam pulled her into his arms and held her close knowing that he had a short amount of time with her, and he wasn't going to waste in on self pity. "Hey sweetheart, how about we play a game. What do you say?" he asked, then watched as she nodded her head enthusiastically. "Alright, we're going to play a real live version of hide and seek. How does that sound"

"Yay!" Dee squealed, ready to get started.

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It hadn't taken too long for Sam to change Dee into a plain t-shirt, a solid color pair of shorts, and her sandals after he took the flowers off them. He hadn't the heart to cut her hair but was relieved that he had bought the denim cap for her when they were planning on a zoo trip. Clothing wise she looked more boyish, and he couldn't help but wonder about the mulish look she was giving him for it. What took the longest was him. He had no idea why it pained him so much, but finally after looking at his little girl and reminding himself of what would happen if they got caught; he did what he had to do. Dee cried for the both of them as he took the first aid kit out, and used the scissors and peroxide to change his appearance. Glancing only a moment in the Impala's window to make sure he didn't miss a spot, he grabbed Dean's sunglasses from the glovebox, put some money in his wallet and picked Dee up in his arms. "Come on sweetheart; let's see if we can find a ride."

They had walked back to the road they had come from and started in the direction they were initially heading. "Dee baby, I need you to know that in order to hide from the bad men, we might have to say things we don't really mean. Ok?" Seeing that she was listening, he continued, "We need to come up with a story as to why we don't have a car, and are walking when we don't live around here."

Thinking hard, Dee finally nodded. "How 'bout we say mommy mad an' we hav t' walk?"

Stunned for a moment, he finally asked, "Does mommy get mad a lot?"

Dee started to giggle, "No Daddy, this pr'tnd! Mommy not mad!"

Feeling more than a little relieved, he had to wonder about his little girl who somehow in the great cosmic comedy was currently both his daughter and brother. He was about to answer when a car pulled up next to them with a young woman with a baby in the backseat inside.

"Hey, you know, you'll get to where you're going a lot faster if you get in here." She said with a smile.

"Uh, thanks! I appreciate it."

The woman smiled and nodded, "Don't worry; I've had more than my fair share of car troubles lately. I'll take you into town and you can find someone to help you fix it."

Sam wasn't sure what to say, he knew that the more people who saw them the more he risked ruining the plan of getting out of there in one piece. "Daddy need new car, don' you Daddy?" Dee asked looking into his eyes conveying the same type of message that Dean would have 'just play along'.

"Yeah, it looks like it. Every time I turn around we're breaking down." Sam said with a sad smile, hoping that Dean would forgive him for disparaging his baby.

The woman looked at him and nodded in understanding. "You know, there are a few cars for sale in town. They're not much, but I know the owners and they wouldn't sell someone a lemon if they could help it."

It had taken a little over three hours to get into town, feed everyone a late breakfast, and find something that met Julie Lynn's expectations of what she thought Sam needed. He knew that Dean would have thought the whole thing amusing, but at the moment he felt as if he was going to burst. It was as if some invisible vise was gripping him and making feel as if all the air was being pressed out of him; time was running out, he could feel it.

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Hendrickson was in a foul mood and he didn't care who he took it out on. In his opinion his people had fallen down on the job – again – and it was unforgivable. He had one job at the moment in the Bureau; bring in the Winchester brothers – period. His bosses knew them for the danger to public safety that they are, and he was going to make sure that _both_ brothers paid for their crimes. Now though, he was surrounded by incompetence and it reflected badly on _him_.

Not only had Sam Winchester escaped, but had taken a little girl that no one knew about with him. If that wasn't frustrating enough, the lead that got them to this god forsaken town had been a bust; just some punk wanting to make a name for himself. So now, according to the profilers that had been rushing around with this new information, Sam Winchester was 'possibly more dangerous than his brother if for no other reason than his obvious desire to express his autonomy' from Dean who had been getting the most attention. 'Great, not only do I have two lunatics running around, but now little brother wants to prove a point.' He thought as he threw the rest of the coffee across the room.

"Sir, there haven't been any validated sightings anywhere." An agent said as he walked up handing Hendrickson a stack of reports.

"Well he couldn't have just disappeared, now could he?" Hendrickson yelled, and then noticed something. "Where are the reports from the East?" he asked, sure that he missed them.

"Uh, the ones we have say the same thing…"

"What do you mean 'the ones we have'? Don't tell me that we didn't block off all routes.

"Sir, we were ordered to make sure all routes that would lead out of state were covered. It would be insane to go deeper into a dragnet, so it would be a waste..."

Hendrickson had heard enough. After bringing all the agents together he yelled, "For those of you who haven't figured it out, the Winchester's aren't your normal psychopaths. They do not follow the standard rules; therefore we need to throw 'the book' away! Is that understood? Good! Now get the other routes covered and extend that Amber Alert to all bordering states!"

After seeing that his orders were being followed, Hendrickson started to go over the file again, seeing all the places that they had been sighted in hopes that he could figure out where Sam might go now; he knew that the answer had to be in there somewhere.

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AN: It'll grow back!!!!! 


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thanks to Ephiny for the lone wolf idea... I hope I did it justice. Thanks to Sammygirl1963 for continuing to by cheerleading section! You both are awesome!

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After thanking Julie Lynn for her help, Sam put Dee in the back jump seat of his new ride; an early 90's model Nissan King Cab 4x4, and drove back the direction they came. Dee loved the truck because it was black and reminded her of the Impala, Sam liked it because he got it fairly cheap since the guy selling it was making a point to his son not to drink and drive. Checking the rear view mirror again, he saw that no one was behind him and felt it safe to make the turn back to the barn.

It took another half an hour to unload the Impala completely and put everything in the back of the truck, covering it with a tarp to make it look more like camping equipment instead of the arsenal it was. Dee had wanted to help, but Sam hadn't wanted her to see what he was doing and instead distracted her with coloring the next couple of pages in her book. Finally satisfied that he had cleaned out his brother's baby, he sent a text to Bobby with the co-ordinates of the barn and asked if he could arrange for her to be picked up discretely.

As he was about to put Dee's car seat in he was startled by his reflection, having forgotten about what he had done earlier. Looking at himself a little closer he was glad that he hadn't cut it as short as he thought otherwise he probably would have had curls instead of waves, and the new color blended better. Having heard Jess talk about the mistakes her friends had made while coloring their hair, he had already known how to make it look more natural; and didn't that just make him sound like the girl Dean kept teasing him about?

"Daddy, you look like me!" Dee squealed when she noticed what he was doing.

Smiling, Sam had to agree. With the blonde hair and the green eyes, there couldn't be much doubt about their relationship. Feeling better about the situation, he settled the car seat firmly in the front and beckoned her to climb to the front. "Come on baby, let's get moving. The sooner we leave the sooner we get to where we're going."

Hearing that made Dee practically jump over the seat; she didn't know where they were going, but she knew that her Daddy gave great surprises. "K, Daddy… Le's go!"

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Bobby was nervous, and he wasn't one to get that way for no reason. The last call he got from Sam had him worried, but the text that had been sent had him almost panicked. There was no way in hell that Dean would allow the Impala to be hauled across the country. Not unless… NO, he wasn't going to think that. Sam would have said something, and wouldn't have been able to talk straight much less have a full conversation. Something was definitely going on.

He had just grabbed a sandwich and a beer from the kitchen when he thought he'd catch the local news, and then at least part of the puzzle fell into place making Bobby spit out his beer.

"_In the National news, the search for brothers Samuel and Dean Winchester is still in full force today after a federal agent had been taken at gun point by the younger brother. The FBI had listed Dean as one of their Most Wanted, with Sam as an accessory. However that has changed with the kidnapping of both a Federal Agent as well as an unidentified little girl. The unidentified agent had been released with moderate injuries, no word on the girl._

_In other headline news…."_

"Damn igits! I swear I'm going to rip them apart! What the hell were they thinking?" he ranted for awhile, knowing that it wasn't doing any good, but now had the answer to one question… they got cornered and had to ditch the car. Now he had to wonder about why Dean had hardly been mentioned, after all he was the more impulsive one; and what did a little girl have to do with anything?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a car slide to a stop outside and Ellen ran into the house. "Bobby… the news… I heard…"

"Yeah, I heard it too. I don't know what those fool boys have done, but they're hip deep in it this time." He let out a frustrated sigh and couldn't help but think that both boys were more like their daddy than anyone knew. "I have no idea when they'll get here, but I have a feeling they're going to need a place to hole up for a bit longer than I thought. I'll make a couple of calls. Do me a favor, try and find out what happened in Virginia."

Ellen was already on the phone and changing the channel for another news update when he asked. There was no way she _wasn't_ going to find out what those boys got themselves into now.

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He didn't know why he had driven to Washington D.C., his only excuse was 'because he could'; that and the knowledge that if Hendrickson ever found out he had been right in his own back yard, it would drive the agent completely insane. That knowledge is what spurred him to do something so totally _Dean_ that he had to wonder if he was actually somehow channeling his brother; or maybe as crazy as Hendrickson claimed.

"Daddy, we go now?" Dee asked not able to contain her excitement.

Sam looked down at his little girl and smiled, "Sure thing Baby Girl, what do you want to see first?"

Dee thought a moment not knowing what was there so it was hard to decide. Then she saw a picture off to the side and suddenly knew. "There Daddy I wan' t' see them!" Dee squealed, jumping up and down in excitement.

Laughing, Sam couldn't help but agree. "Alrighty then, the Giant Panda's first." He said as he took Dee's hand and walked past the sign National Zoological Park to fulfill a promise to his baby.

Finding the Panda Habitat had been easy, even finding and watching the Panda family interact was simple, but what Sam had found to be difficult was getting Dee to agree to look at other things. "But Daddeeee…th' baby like me!" she had whined, sure that the Panda cub was watching her every move. It had taken a promise to come back to say 'bye' to the panda's in order for her to grudgingly allow herself to be lead to another exhibit.

Sam had started to worry that maybe it was a bad idea. He had loved the zoo when he was small, but then again, Dee wasn't him, and he worried that he was trying to push what he wanted on his little girl. 'Gee, wonder where I would have got _that_ from.' He thought moodily. As they continued to walk, he noticed that Dee wasn't too enthused about the birds, even though the owls had her perk up a little. The Kid's Zoo had Dee shaking her head so fiercely, that Sam was sure she would have a headache at any moment. Feeling more than a little perplexed, he was about to give in and take her back to the panda's when she gasped so loud Sam was sure she swallowed a bug.

"What is it Dee?" he asked, more concerned than anything, until she pointed behind him and then he realized what caught her attention. "Wolves?" he asked, not sure if there was something else or not.

Nodding, Dee whispered in awe, "They pr'tty Daddy!"

Sam had to agree, they were an awesome sight, and he had to admit just as well that he was glad they were behind the fence and ditch. They reminded him a little too much of a werewolf that he and Dean helped their Dad hunt years ago; it didn't go as well as expected, but thankfully not as bad as it could have ended.

"Daddy, why he by his'elf?" Dee asked pointing to a young wolf that stayed off to the side and didn't interact with any of the others.

"He's still trying to get used to his new environment." a zookeeper said while watching the wolves. "He was brought in after getting hurt. They couldn't find his pack, and were hoping he would be accepted by this one, but it hasn't worked like they thought. Shame though, wolves aren't natural loners."

Dee's eyes got huge until she turned to her Daddy to make it better. "Daddy, make 'em like him!" she cried out, fully expecting her Daddy to be able to talk to them and make them all get along like they should.

Not knowing what else to do, Sam got down to her level and spoke gently, "Dee baby, sometimes a wolf misses his pack so much that he carries his pain with him always, and he just might not want to be a part of another pack in case he loses them too."

Thinking hard, Dee wondered if that was right, but knew that it was a silly reason. Why would anyone want to be alone because they were afraid of being alone? Looking at her Daddy she could only shake her head, 'Silly Daddy, he got it all wrong. They jus' bein' mean.'

Seeing that look on her face, Sam knew that she had made up her mind and wouldn't allow it to be changed. Smiling, he held out his hand for her and they started off again all the while he thought, 'Yep, total Winchester.'

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They had spent three hours at the Zoo, and afterwards when they were driving out of the parking lot, Sam smiled broadly when he heard Dee tell her stuffed hound Page all that they saw and how she loved the panda's and felt sad for the wolf, but thought her daddy was silly when he had called her a monkey after she climbed on the fence to see the tiny monkeys better.

Sam knew that they would need to stop for the night, but he really wanted to put a little distance between them and D.C., they'd stretched their luck as it was. Glancing at Dee, he knew that he made the right decision. It had been a risk, and he had been worried about the stash in the truck, but there was no way he wanted his time with her to be filled with broken promises; he had never wanted to be that type of dad.

"Dee baby, how about we drive for awhile then stop and eat before finding a place to sleep?"

"K Daddy… can Page come too? He hung'y."

Two and a half hours later they pulled into a small diner and made sure that even Page got his fill of french fries.

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AN: Hope you liked it, let me know! 


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hope everyone enjoys!!!

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Sam was watching the sun rise as Dee slept curled around Page since her Daddy was no longer in bed with her. He smiled as he remembered her climbing in with him around 11pm and hadn't let go of him all night. Now though, he was going to have to wake her so they could get going; the news reports said that the search had started to include Maryland, as well as West Virginia, giving Sam the feeling that they were actually closer than what they wanted him to know. Knowing that it wouldn't take them long to include Pennsylvania, they needed to get out of the state soon; but avoiding major highways meant that they went slower than he liked. Of course the benefit was he wouldn't leave as much of a trail leading straight to Bobby's.

He'd been up for awhile trying to think of their next move but it was difficult when he wasn't sure where Hendrickson was hiding. He knew that if the agent was close then more than likely the FBI had picked up on their trail, and the best thing for them to do would head towards Canada and hope that they followed until an opportunity to lose them could be found. Of course it could be just as beneficial to go towards Kentucky and try to confuse them; that is if they were on to them in the first place. Sighing, he pushed the map away realizing that he was confusing _himself_ by trying to think like a crazed FBI agent with a personal vendetta against them.

Pulling out his laptop he watched Dee while it booted up and wondered yet again about their life together. So many questions rushed through his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder if he was a good father, how were he and Jess doing, were they still in school or had they decided to drop out in order to take care of a baby? So many questions with so little answers; he couldn't bring himself to ask because he knew that it would hurt all the more, but he couldn't bring himself not to think about it either. Seeing that the computer was ready he quickly accessed the FBI database and found a back door, it took him a little while, but he managed to get into the accounting department and after finding the field agents expense reports, he was able to find Hendrickson's agency credit card number. Making sure he hadn't altered any records to alert anyone of his presence, he quickly exited taking precautions that any trace had been severed on the way out. With the number in hand, he ran a trace on the card and waited for the last time it had been used; Baltimore, MD an hour ago.

"Wake up Dee, we have to go." Sam said gently, hoping not to scare her, but at the moment the thought that the agent was no less than two and a half hours away and no more than four was scaring him enough for the both of them.

Rubbing her eyes, Dee saw that her Daddy was upset, but she wasn't sure why. "Daddy… you mad a' me?" she asked, wondering if maybe he was upset because she had slept with him again.

"No baby, but we need to go because the bad guys are getting closer." He said, knowing that the truth was the best policy in this instance, and he was right. Before he had a chance to say anything else, she had jumped out of bed and started to get dressed without anymore prodding. Suddenly she stopped and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Daddy… will bad guys get us?" she asked, worried that something bad would happen to her daddy.

Shaking his head he answered, "Not if I can help it, Baby Girl. Now come on. How about we head out and grab some food on the way?"

Dee thought a moment before she nodded, "Can Page get som'tng too?"

Laughing, Sam agreed that if the small doggie was that hungry, then he could get a little something too, which made Dee giggle at the thought that her doggie was ever _not_ that hungry.

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"So what you're telling me is that the only thing close to lead is from some stoner of a teenager in a gas station in the middle of nowhere and he can't even be sure if it was them? Is that right?" Hendrickson ground out while crushing his coffee cup in his hand. He had been chasing shadows and it bugged him that they couldn't even catch up with two losers like the Winchester brothers.

"Sir, normally we'd be able to figure out where they were going by friends and family, but…"

"But they don't have any family, now do they? As for friends, they all are probably as psychotic. So, what do our wonderful profilers tell us to do now? Hope that they come to their senses and give up? Yeah, like they've done that so often before." He said pacing; now wishing he still had his coffee. "Pull up the information on John Winchester, if they were looking for a place to hide, it will be with one of his lunatic buddies."

He left the area quickly not wanting to associate himself with these people any more than necessary. It had always bothered him when he was assigned a team because that meant someone was standing there second guessing him; but what bothered him the most was when they assigned profilers to him, they always seemed to get in his way. They were the ones who suggested that since Sam was acting out of character that he would have run inbound of the state's boarders, unfortunately they suggested that long after it would have been useful. Now they were suggesting that he would head up to Canada and try to disappear with the French Canadians as if nothing happened. They failed to mention anything about Dean, he was the more impulsive one, he was the one to get to and let the younger one follow. So why couldn't they find him? Why wasn't he there protecting his little brother like the good little guard dog that he was? Why the hell could they not find them even after plastering their pictures across four states and declaring an Amber Alert on ever major highway announcement board?

Suddenly he felt like he'd been punched in the gut. They weren't on the highways; they knew it would be suicide. "Damn it!" he yelled, getting the other agents attention. Turning he yelled, "Make sure every cop in every damn Podunk town in the surrounding states has the Winchester's pictures, and remind them that these men are armed and extremely dangerous."

Marching over to one of the profilers, he demanded. "What the hell made you think that they'd stay on the major highways?"

Startled the young man answered, "It would have been the most brass thing for them to do, sir. Everything we have on them shows that they have no respect for authority, and even like to rub it in when they get away with something."

Hendrickson looked at the man in front of him and had to admit that from a textbook point of view, the theory was sound. However, these two clowns weren't a textbook case and they had wasted too much time trying to find them with textbook logic. Frustrated, he knew that they could be anywhere at the moment with as much of a head start that they had, but he wasn't going to admit that to any of his men. They had a job to do and if he had to knock on every damn door in the country, then he would; but he was going to bring in Sam and Dean Winchester even if it was the last thing he did.

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Deciding to take the Interstate Highways had been an impulsive decision, but Sam figured that with Hendrickson being so close, it would be a good time to act like Briar Rabbit. He hoped the agent had thought he was hiding in a small town somewhere while he actually was heading straight for Columbus, Ohio.

It had taken them close to eight hours to get to the city; after all you couldn't travel with a small child and expect to drive straight through to anywhere. So after potty breaks, and even a couple of last moment 'can we stop peese Daddy?' to see whatever caught her eye, Sam was more than a little thankful to pull into Columbus and find a small Motor Lodge that seemed to have been remodeled to replicate what it had been in it's glory days. _He_ chose it because there weren't too many people around, _Dee_ chose it because it was pink; and didn't that just throw him for a loop when she said it?

Settling Dee onto the King Size bed with Page, he found the Nature Channel and let her watch it while he made a quick call. Watching her closely, he didn't want to leave her alone, but also didn't want her listening to the conversation either.

"_Sam! Damn boy, it's good to hear from you. Where the hell are you anyway?"_

"Hey Bobby, you know… here, there, everywhere; but I want you to know that we're taking it slow 'cause all our resources are tapped. Don't worry though, we'll probably take Dean's baby out and get what's needed in a day or so. Thought you'd like to know."

"_Yeah, thanks for the heads up. That means I can get on with my life instead of waiting on you two sorry excuses. Oh, and tell that jackass brother of yours that he still owes me for those parts I got for his beast awhile ago." _

"Sure Bobby, I'll tell him, but you know how he is..."

"_Uh huh, just make sure he knows. Gotta go kid, see ya 'round."_

Sam hung up and continued to watch Dee as she was completely engrossed in a show about lions. "Hey Baby Girl, how about you and I go and get some food at a place with chairs tonight?" he asked, knowing that she had hated the drive- thru's and the gas stations they had stopped at during the day.

At first she didn't say anything, then a commercial came on and she smiled brightly. "With a page for me t' color?" she asked, he eyes full of hope.

"Hmmm… how about we go to IHOP and we get you pancakes?" he asked, knowing that there was no way she would refuse pancakes for dinner; he'd just have to make sure to include some bacon on the side… and maybe some milk… yeah, milk was good.

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Ellen knew something was up as soon as she heard the way Bobby was talking to Sam. He never got upset like that to either of those boys, even when Sam had taken it upon himself to shave Bobby's guard dog Patton, a German Shepherd that had been more of an oddity to the junkyard from what she understood. She had heard the story of how the boys had stayed with Bobby for a week or two during the middle of an unseasonably hot summer, and how Sam had taken it upon himself to make sure the dog was cool; using Bobby's best razor to do it. In fact, to this day Bobby insists that's why he grew a beard, he couldn't find a razor that worked as well.

"Bobby, what's going on?" she asked, getting more concerned, the quieter he got.

Glancing in her direction, Bobby let out a sigh, "That was Sam, he thinks the phones are tapped, but he's still coming in it'll take them a couple of days though."

"Oh, so that's what the pissy attitude was about. So, if the Feds are getting that bold, how are we going to keep them from finding Sam and Dean here?" she asked, knowing that there had to be something more to the conversation.

"I'm pretty sure he thought I'd find him a safe place to hide out, somewhere that agent wouldn't be able to find them even with a map." Bobby said smiling.

Ellen looked at Bobby, and finally asked, "So, I take it that's what you did yesterday?"

Smiling, Bobby nodded and took another sip of beer. If he was right, those boys would be pulling in at close to the two day mark, and he'd make sure everything was ready. Of course he couldn't wait to hear how they got themselves into this much trouble in the first place.


	7. Chapter 7

Having spent close to an hour sitting in the middle of an IHOP next to two police officers had Sam at first feeling nervous, then fairly cocky. After all, if they couldn't figure out who they were, as close as they were to them, then who was he to complain? Of course it didn't help that Dee had wiggled out of the seat and walked straight up to the officers demanding to know if they were good guys. After the initial shock, both men assured the little girl that yes, they both were good guys and would never dream of hurting such a sweet baby like her. Not fully satisfied, she had immediately crossed her arms over her tiny chest and studied each man before giving her approval and returning to the table with her Daddy apologizing to the officers.

Now though, they were getting ready to leave another motel room to head towards Bobby's, and Sam couldn't help but feel that they were actually in the home stretch. He knew it would be a long drive, but now he thought that maybe they could actually make it without having to look over his shoulder every couple of seconds. Then again, he knew better than to take anything for granted.

Having already put the weapons in the cab of the truck, hidden under the jump seats, as well as under the seats and taped to the roof of the glove box, he didn't have to worry about anyone stumbling on them when they stopped. Of course knowing that he didn't have to worry and actually not worrying were two different things. It was something he did naturally, and couldn't seem to stop; in fact it had only seemed to get worse now that he had Dee.

"I's ready Daddy!" Dee exclaimed as she made her way out of the bathroom, proud that she got ready all by herself. Unfortunately, she couldn't get the tangles out of her hair, and her sandals were on the wrong feet, but all she care about was she was a big girl.

Smiling, Sam watched Dee walk into the room and he couldn't help but be proud of her. "Come here Baby Girl, let me help you a little." He said, as he reached for a brush and started on the tangles, making a point to tickle her if a knot seemed to be too stubborn.

Finally, they were ready to go, and Sam couldn't help but feel relieved; they had definitely been there too long. Scooping his little girl up in his arms, he looked around the room again to make sure they hadn't left anything and walked out into the morning.

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There were some days that Hendrickson definitely hated his life, and coincidently today was one of them. He had been in Baltimore when the paper pushers had insisted that unless he had a solid lead, then he needed to scale down his operation ASAP, and they weren't taking 'NO' for an answer. That had been bad enough, but then he found out that most of John Winchester's friends and or acquaintances were dead, and shouldn't that just narrow down the hunting grounds? However, those who were alive were often on the move, and those who weren't didn't seem to be too friendly towards the Winchester family.

He hadn't believed the team's surveillance specialist when he said that a call that had been recorded suggested animosity towards the brothers. Having heard the recording himself he was inclined to agree if it hadn't been the way the man on the other end of the conversation had actually answered the phone; with a great amount of concern. Knowing what he heard, and convincing his supervisors were two different things, and something that he obviously hadn't been able to do.

Taking the location of Singer Auto Salvage, he had decided to check things out for himself making a point to advise the higher ups, but making sure not to request additional men. After all, everyone knew that he hated being in the office as much as they hated for him to be there. He knew that they would agree to him going, and he had even managed approval for a flight and a car rental. Now he just had to show that there was a lead there.

Pulling into the salvage yard, he knew that he would be met with resistance; however he wasn't prepared for a large Lab by the name of McCain to keep him from getting out of the car. It wasn't until a definite good ol' boy came out to see what the fuss was about that he wondered what he had actually walked into.

"So, I can tell you're not here for parts, and you don't look like an encyclopedia salesman, so who are you and what do you want? Damn it McCain! Go lay down!" Bobby yelled at the dog, but was secretly happy that the mutt had put long scratches in the rental car's paint job.

Showing his badge, Hendrickson got out of his car and watched the dog warily. "I'm on the trail of a couple of fugitives; Dean and Sam Winchester. I had been told that…"

"You know if I had a nickel every time those boys and their daddy got in trouble or needed something, I'd be rich. What did they do now, besides that business in St. Louis, I heard about it already."

Hendrickson wasn't sure what to make out of the man before him. The file they had on him said that he knew the Winchesters for about twenty years. You don't just stay friends with someone for that long if you didn't like them. "Look Mr. Singer, let's cut the crap. Those boys are dangerous and it's my job to bring them in. I know that you have a connection with them, and I'm pretty sure you had contact with them in the last week. I need to know where they are so I can prevent more deaths."

Bobby looked at the agent and understood the instant dislike Dean and Sam had with the man. "Look, you got your information from some pencil pusher behind a desk with an outdated file and deadline. The last time I saw John I told him I'd load his ass with buckshot if I ever saw him again, and the boys usually followed his lead. So I really doubt if I'll see those boys here anytime soon."

"What about parts for that car of theirs? Not too many places carry parts for it, and I have a feeling that you've provided more than a few. So how about we just lay our cards on the table. If you don't know where they are, you know that they'll show up eventually, and you'll call me as soon as you do." Hendrickson said as he continued to scope out the place. He knew there was someone else around, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing at attention, but he couldn't place where they where.

Smirking, Bobby couldn't believe the audacity of this guy and was tempted to let McCain eat the man after all. "Look agent, you can demand whatever you like, but I can't tell you something that I don't know. If you want to waste your time, fine, I can't stop you. But if you think about interfering in my business I'll be on the phone faster than hungry fleas on a hound to your bosses. Am _I_ clear?" Bobby asked, leaving Hendrickson to contemplate what he said.

The sound of a car driving away was the only thing they heard for a few minutes before Ellen asked, "So, how much does he know?"

Looking over at her Bobby answered honestly, "A little too much for my comfort. I'll make sure to send Sam the coordinates of the place they need to go, until then I only hope those boys are smart enough to lay low until they get here."

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Today was not Sam's day, and even though he was happy that it hadn't been worse, he was still shaken up but what occurred. He had only turned his head for a moment, three seconds at the most and it had almost changed his whole life.

"_Hey Baby Girl, it's time to get gas. How about we grab some lunch while we stop, maybe stretch our legs for a few minutes?" he asked, glancing at Dee who had spend the whole time telling him and Page stories that she had made up._

_Dee looked over and watched her Daddy for a minute before answering, "On'y if you hung'y Daddy 'cause me 'n Page wan' get there soon!"_

_Smiling, Sam was sure that he hadn't mentioned where they were going, but Dee was determined that wherever it was had to be someplace special. Pulling into a truck stop, he quickly filled up the tank, and took Dee by the hand so they both could to in and have some lunch. Everything had gone smooth, the waitress was nice, the service was great, and even the food was edible. It wasn't until they went to pay the cashier that Sam felt true fear, and it had to do with his little girl, a stray ball, and a speeding car just coming off the highway._

_He had told Dee that they were ready to go when he was suddenly called back because the cashier had given him the wrong change. Three seconds, that's all it was, three seconds and a dollar forty five, and it had almost cost him everything._

_Turning back to take Dee's hand he realized that she was already outside and was chasing down a bright yellow ball with Elmo on it in the middle of the parking lot. By the time that he rushed outside and cleared the sidewalk, the car was only moments from his baby who was looking straight at the car, frozen like a deer caught in headlights. Praying he could get there in time, he was already running when he dove and caught her around the middle sending both of them to the ground hard. Thankfully Dee landed on him instead of the pavement, but Sam couldn't get the image of his baby girl being splattered on the asphalt out of his head. It had taken him five minutes and the help of several people to get up with her still in his arms, and another hour and fifteen minutes to calm her down and get his nerves under control so he could drive again._

That had happened close to four hours ago, but he still couldn't get past it. Every time he thought he's moved on; the image of the speeding vehicle so close to Dee had him fighting the urge to hurl.

Knowing that he couldn't take another incident like that, he made the decision to drive straight through, stopping only for gas and the necessary potty breaks. Having received a text from Bobby stating where to go when they got close, he replied and gave him a new ETA stating something happened and he couldn't be on the road anymore than necessary. He knew Bobby would be chomping at the bit to know what happened, but there was no way he was going to get into a text fest while rushing down the highway. He just had to trust that their friend had been able to find something and that Dee would be safe, the clock was start to tick a little too fast for his liking.

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AN: So... how many of you were cursing my name? C'mon... tell the truth... 


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Hope everyone likes... let me know!!!

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Bobby had received several phone calls from people in town letting him know that Hendrickson was still snooping around and general making a nuisance of himself. Normally he wouldn't have thought too much about it, but today it was making him more than a little nervous. He and Ellen had gone to the little house that they had already stocked with items that they thought the boys would need for the next couple of weeks. It was bad enough that the federal agent was on their tail, but Bobby hadn't forgotten the deal that was coming due all too soon.

Looking over at Ellen, he knew her apprehension. The boys should have been there by now, and the only text they got from Sam was they ran into a detour and was running a little behind schedule. Calling Dean's phone had ended with the same results as all the other times, it was turned off and they had no idea why.

The sun had already made its appearance over the horizon and was starting to shine through the trees when both hunters heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up towards the house. Not one to take things for granted, Bobby and Ellen both grabbed shotguns and anxiously waited. It wasn't too long when a four wheeled drive truck pulled up into the shadows and stopped. They couldn't see into the truck so they had no idea if it was someone who just stumbled upon the place or if was the boys. Tensely they waited until they saw a very tall man with short blonde wavy hair get out of the truck and shut the door. After watching him a moment as he stretched, Bobby recognized the bracelets on the wrists and looked at Ellen in shock. Seeing that she agreed with him they turned back in time to see… yes, it was Sam… walk around the truck.

Sam was opening the door to the passenger side making both Bobby and Ellen think that Dean was hurt, when they heard Sam speak softly. "Dee baby, we're here. Let's get you out of your seat and inside."

Shocked, both Bobby and Ellen stayed quiet as they watched Sam pick a little girl up out of the truck before reaching in and grabbing what looked to be a stuffed dog. Bobby was just about to ask what the hell was going on when the little girl spoke.

"Daddy, I's seepy."

Looking over at Bobby and Ellen, Sam smiled when he answered, "I know baby we'll go inside and go to sleep. I want you to meet a couple of people first. This is Bobby and Ellen, they're friends."

Dee looked at the people her Daddy introduced her to and gave a small smile before she nuzzled up into her Daddy's neck again.

Sam smiled at Dee then looked at the others, "I'll explain everything later; right now we really need some sleep."

Nodding, both Bobby and Ellen agreed and stepped to the side. When they saw Sam walk inside they turned to each other and exclaimed, "Was that…?"

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Sam was tired and he knew that Dee was exhausted. She had tried to be a brave girl and stay awake most of the night, but Sam had often found her dozing in her seat making him smile at the irony that it was usually _him_ dozing in the passenger seat with _Dean_ driving through the night. However, most of the night had consisted of detours and road construction leaving them behind schedule and more than a little frustrated.

Laying Dee on the bed, he made sure to cover her up before he went out and got the bags they would really need. He knew that even though he needed sleep right now, he needed to make sure that his little girl had everything she needed when she woke up. Sighing, he walked out into the living room to see two very confused hunters staring at him in disbelief.

"I see you figure it out. Let me get the bags and I'll fill you in." he said as he wearily went out and grabbed Dee's little backpack and his duffle. Taking a moment to look around, Sam could understand why Bobby picked the place. It was quiet, secluded, and most of all had a sense of peace that he and his brother hadn't felt in such a long time.

Ellen watched Sam out the window and worried. "He looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders." She told Bobby as he warmed up the coffee for everyone.

"Well wouldn't you if you had a league of demons on the loose, a rabid federal agent on your ass, and a brother who suddenly decided to get in touch with his inner child and feminine side all at once mere weeks before the deal is due?" he asked, wondering how this happened and how in hell they were going to be able to reverse it.

Walking into the house again, Sam could tell what was on their mind and he wasn't sure how to begin without sounding totally unhinged. "We were taking a night off just hanging out when he ran across a woman with an unrest ghost problem. We helped her out, and she turned out to be a witch. She said she's help Dean get out of the deal if she could and the next thing I know I have Dee crawling into bed with me after having a nightmare. Hendrickson happened to be in the same town we were following a lead on a carjacker fitting Dean's description, we manage to get away after dragging an agent with us, and we've been running ever since." He knew that there was probably more to the story, but his brain was having trouble engaging and he figured that if it was important, then he'd fill them in later.

Ellen looked at Sam and wasn't sure what she was hearing. "This witch turned Dean into a little girl? Why?" she asked, knowing that there was something she was missing, some crucial.

"Huh? Oh… uh…she's not just a little girl, Dee's my daughter. Lillian turned Dean into my daughter to keep the deal from being collected until it was nullified. I'm still a little confused about the details, but that's the basics… I think." He said, trying to remember if he had already drank his coffee, or if he had been sitting there with an empty cup in his hand the whole time.

"Wait… she's your daughter? Sam, what the hell? How… nevermind… why would she do that?" Bobby asked, knowing that he'd seen a lot of strange things in his time, but he was starting to think that this beat it all.

Sighing, Sam shook his head. "I don't know Bobby, basically to hide Dean until the deal is done, but Dee is my little girl; the daughter Jess and I would have had."

Silence took over the room as what he said finally penetrated their brains. "Oh Sam, I'm so sorry sweetie." Ellen whispered sympathetically.

"It's alright Ellen, at least now I know that somewhere my family is intact, and I can be happy with that." Sam said sadly as he made his way towards the bedroom, towards his baby girl.

"Damn, that boy just can't catch a break can he?" Bobby asked, wondering not for the first time why things couldn't be simple. "I wonder if Dean will remember any of this?" he asked more to himself than to Ellen.

"I don't know, but I do know that if Dean gives Sam a hard time about playing 'Mr. Mom' I'm going to club him. How's Sam going to feel when Dean's back but his little girl is gone?" she asked seeing that Bobby was wondering the same thing.

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The sun had already been in the sky long enough stop kissing the East side of the house and start to beat on the West. Neither Ellen nor Bobby wanted to leave the house until they both knew that Sam and Dee were really alright, and even then they weren't sure they would leave them alone. Bobby was reading over the newspaper while Ellen was fixing a late lunch when they heard the tentative sound of little feet on wood floors slowly making their way through the house.

Glancing up, Bobby saw a tousled blonde head with green eyes and freckles peek around the corner before it quickly disappeared again with the sound of giggles in its wake. Looking over at Ellen, Bobby couldn't help but smile, the girl reminded him of a little Sammy playing hide and seek with anyone and everyone who would let him. "Ellen, I'm starting to think we have mice around here. Maybe I should go find a cat, a really big and mean cat to gobble the mice up." He said gruffly watching the corner for any movement.

Ellen at first had no idea what Bobby was talking about, then she realized that Dee must be playing, "Hmmm, I don't know Bobby. I'm thinking that maybe we need to find out the size of the mice first, we might need something really big like a…. oh, I don't know… a _tiger_!" she said just as she jumped around the corner and tickled Dee until she squealed.

Bobby was already chuckling when he saw Ellen jump around the corner, but it turned into a huge belly laugh when they heard a loud thump from the bedroom and the sound of scrambling feet coming down the hallway.

"DEE!!!" Sam yelled, sure that something horrible had happened. When he saw Dee and Ellen smiling, and heard Bobby laughing loudly, he knew he'd been had. "Ha Ha you guys, I really thought something happened." He said while holding out his arms to Dee.

After jumping into her Daddy's arms, Dee exclaimed, "Bu' it a'mos' did Daddy! They ge' a tiger an' eat me!" she said with her eyes wide.

"They were going to get a tiger to eat you? Well, you don't have to worry about that, Daddy's here. Why don't you go get Page and bring him in here?" Sam told her while letting her down.

Dee took a moment to toss a smug look over her shoulder and stick out her tongue at Bobby before running back down the hallway, leaving Bobby laughing even harder to the point of almost falling out of his chair.

"Oh boy, Sam, you really do have your hands full with her don't you?" Bobby asked, sure that he was going to get a cussing out, but was surprised when Sam told them about what happened at an IHOP with two officers causing both Bobby and Ellen laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes. "Yeah, sounds like you're getting a little payback Sam." Bobby said when he could finally breathe again.

"Daddy, can you help? I can' ge' my s'nd'ls on." Dee said with a pout, holding the offending objects in her hands.

Sam took a moment and looked at the tiny shoes, still amazed that someone could be so small. Looking at Dee he asked, "How about you go barefoot today?" Seeing her shocked look he wondered if he had said something other than what he thought he had, but then Dee nodded her head and gave him a big hug around his neck making him feel as if everything was alright with the world.

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Lillian was in the process of looking at Real Estate listings online when she sensed her visitor behind her. "Hello Ruby, I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Ruby asked in total disbelief. "I'm surprised that Sam isn't dead on the floor by now!"

"The terms of the agreement were if Dean tried to back out, then Sam would die, correct?" Lillian asked, having already suspected a similar clause. "Well, he didn't even know about it, neither did Sam; therefore neither tried to back out so they can't be held accountable." She said calmly as she continued to look through the listings, maybe a beach house would be a nice change.

"Do you have any idea what you have caused?" Ruby demanded; she knew that Lillian knew more than she was willing to admit, but that didn't give her the right to interfere.

Lillian sighed, "Yes, I do. The current trustee of the contract is pissed because this particular loophole wasn't thought of earlier and I exploited it. Since it's a binding contract, no one can do anything until it's been determined what should be done, and that won't be until after the rest of the terms have been met; meaning everything's on hold until the year is up. Now, do you mind? My brother in law is determined to have me burned at the stake if I don't leave soon, and I don't do well in extreme heat!"

Ruby was furious, her plans were falling apart. How was she supposed to swoop in and save the day, effectively winning Sam's trust, when Dean didn't need to be saved anymore? Everything had been thought of, every moment and detail that would bring Sam closer to her and to her goals, and now because of one meddling…

"I don't meddle; I help to keep the balance that so many others are determined to put in chaos. Keep that in mind demon, before someone reminds you of it… permanently." Lillian warned before she waved her hand and watched Ruby disappear out of her sight. "Wicca, what do you think of the mountains?"


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hey everyone... hope you like this chapter, it sort of ran away from me.

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The following week had become an intricate dance between researching the deal and keeping little Dee from finding out what Daddy really did with his time, not an easy task seeing that the little girl was as curious as Sam and as tenacious as Dean. Bobby smirked more than once as Sam tried to distract his little girl from the books that were on the table. Finally, they arranged a system that the books would only come out during naps and after bedtime, shrinking the amount of time for their search, but they all agreed that it was the right thing to do.

"Sam, have you talked to that witch to find out what spell she used? Maybe it'll give us some insight as to where we need to be looking." Bobby said while trying another dusty volume.

Pausing only for a moment, Sam answered honestly, "No, and I'm not sure I want to. The last time I talked to her I wanted to reached through the phone and strangle her."

Bobby stopped what he was doing and looked at Sam in surprise, that wasn't the reaction he expected from the kid; then again he hadn't had to go through what he had either, so it evened out. "How about I give her a call? I don't have any problem with her at the moment and I'm sure she can answer a few of our questions."

Nodding, Sam handed Bobby his cell phone and told him which number it was before turning back to his laptop and continuing a translation of a ancient Syrian text forwarded to him by an archaeologist in that region.

Looking at Sam, Bobby shook his head wondering what had got stuck in the boy's craw. Suddenly his attention was turned back to the phone.

"_Hello."_

"Uh, yes, is this the lady who helped out my… uh, nephew and great … niece?" he asked hesitantly, remembering belatedly that he hadn't gotten her name.

"_How are Sam and his little girl? Are they well?" _Lillian asked, hoping that something unforeseen hadn't happened.

Bobby looked at Sam and wasn't exactly sure how to answer that, but settled for, "Yeah, they seem to be."

Lillian laughed on the other end. _"I take it that Sam cannot let go of the worry that somehow the spell will not work, and is still researching the deal?"_

"As a matter of fact, yes. How did…"

"_I would have done the exact same thing. Rest assured, the spell is sound, those who hold the contract cannot make a move until the terms of the agreement have come to pass, and that will only be when the year is up. They cannot say that Dean or Sam reneged on the deal since they knew nothing of it."_

"So, that's it; everything's tied up in a nice neat bow, why don't I believe that?" he asked quietly, not wanting to alarm Sam.

"_Don't get me wrong. What I did was sound. The spell will only reverse when the terms are fulfilled and the deal is nullified, they cannot collect a debt from an innocent child, and the child will stay that way until the debt is cleared."_

"In other words, they'll have to release him from his deal free and clear." Bobby said, starting to gain an appreciation for the woman on the phone. "My only concern is the backlash."

Lillian smiled_, "I will be honest with you, I used a spell from a book that I normally don't dare to touch, however it was what was needed. I am confident that there will be no consequences to your nephews… or great niece."_ She said laughing slightly. _"You need to get Sam out of the house, let him have some time to himself; he's starting to feel caged and is feeling guilty about it. Good night, Mr. Singer."_

Bobby stood there holding the phone wondering why he had a feeling that the woman was definitely more than just a witch. Looking over at Sam he saw someone who was aging while he watched, there were the dark circles under his eyes, and an ashen tone to his complexion. The stress of the situation was starting to take a toll on the kid, and he was going to have to step in and take things in his own hands.

"Alright, we've got our answer. The spell is sound, we wait it out and when the deal is completed then Dee goes back to being your jackass of a brother." Bobby said, watching for some sign that Sam heard him. "Sam, take a break, you're killing yourself. You're not going to do that little girl much good if you're dead on your feet. Now I'm not as young as I used to be and chasing after a three year old isn't exactly what I had in mind for my golden years."

Pausing, Sam looked up at Bobby and smiled slightly, "Golden years huh? So you finally admit to getting old."

"Don't start, pup. I tell you what, you go for a drive, I'll stay here with Dee in case she wakes up, and when you get back we can figure out what really needs to be done. Alright?" Bobby hoped that this would word, otherwise he wasn't sure that Sam could last another week and a half.

Sam thought about it and wondered if maybe Bobby was right, they weren't getting anywhere, and he felt like he was beating his head against the wall. He didn't want to leave Dee alone, she sometimes had bad dreams and they had been sleeping in the same bed since that first night, but at the moment the idea of being still for any length of time made his skin crawl. "A drive huh?" he asked, wondering if Bobby had him confused with his brother. Then again, the only home he'd actually ever known was the Impala. "Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can. If she wakes up…"

"Sam, I got it. Go and get your head on straight, we'll be here when you get back."

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Sam had been driving around for the last hour and he wasn't sure if he felt better or not. He was used to being able to find a solution, and this time he hadn't, it had been up to someone who wasn't fully vested in the situation. Now he had a daughter who he loved deeply, and a brother who would be back soon leaving him with… what?

He had been serious that he would die for Dean, and he knew that he would rip his beating heart out of his own chest if he needed to for Dee, so how was he supposed to accept the trade off of one over the other? Shaking his head he berated himself for being selfish, and continued driving listening to the song on the radio Wish You Were Here by Incubus and thought how appropriate it was, he wished Dean was there with him, but he also wished that Dee was too.

Turning the truck around, he started his journey back to the house that held his heart, back to his little girl. He may not have her for long, but he was going to make the most of it while he did.

Finally reaching the road towards the house, he carefully checked the area and although he didn't see anything decided to pass it by. Driving into town wasn't the smartest thing to do, but he had a feeling that he was being followed and he wasn't going to let Hendrickson take Dee from him.

Pulling into a small all night diner, he waited a moment before going in. He had just seated himself in between the front entrance and the back exit when the bell over the door chimed and simultaneously a voice came out of nowhere startling Sam.

"Oh my God, David O'Halloran, how are you? I'm so sorry to here about Meredith, how's that baby doing?" a young woman exclaimed at him with a small wink.

Sam lowered his head a little while cautiously watched Hendrickson out of the corner of his eye. "You know, she's like her mom, stronger than what we all think." He said wondering why someone out of the blue would jump into this situation.

The waitress Twyla shook her head sadly and patted his hand sympathetically. "David, you know we're all here for you, no matter what your sister says we know that Meri didn't do it on purpose, so you keep that close. Now, I know that you men don't have sense God gave a goat when it comes to little girls, so whenever you need a break or feel in over your head, you just come over and let me help, alright?"

Nodding, Sam almost smiled at the woman's performance as she continued to chatter as she got him coffee and a slice of pie, all the while promising Hendrickson that she'd be right there. Wondering how he was going to get himself out of this mess, Sam slowly ate his pie and worked on his coffee. 'Don't let them see your fear.' had been one of his dad's motto's and we was trying hard to live up to it, however it was a little difficult with a crazy armed federal agent staring a hole in you.

Hendrickson watched across the diner as the waitress doted on the man who looked a lot like Sam Winchester, in fact, he knew he was but how was he going to prove it? If he called in a false lead his head would be quickly detached from his shoulders, so he needed solid evidence before he made his call. Suddenly he had to answer annoying questions like if he wanted regular or decaf, and if he wanted anything else. Seeing an opportunity, he caught the waitress' attention. "Excuse me miss, but that man over there, do you know him?"

"David? Sure I do, went to school with his sister Mary Beth, used to be a nice girl but now… well, let's just say people change." Twyla said watching the man in front of her. She had a feeling all those acting lessons were about to pay off, there was no way anyone in town who knew the Winchester boys were going to believe the lies that were being spread, and this was just one way she could help out.

"I see, so you've known him for awhile? Does he have any family besides his… sister?" he asked, watching her intently.

Looking as if she was thinking, she finally said, "Well, his wife passed away, and now besides his little girl, he has an uncle somewhere. You know his parents came back and visited right after Casey was born, such nice people. They had an opportunity to retire early and decided to go to Washington, I heard that they had asked David to move back to Seattle with them but David wanted to stay here where everything was familiar. Anyway, anything else I can get for you?" she asked, watching and waiting patiently. When he motioned that he was good, she walked into the kitchen and had a short but informative talk with the owner and cook Mike.

As Hendrickson continued to watch Sam, Mike walked up to the agent and sat down. "I hear you're asking questions about David over there. Any particular reason why?"

"Thought he looked like someone I knew, that's all. Not that it's any of your business." The agent said brusquely.

"Actually, it is my business. See, that guy over there has a lot of friends in this town; he's a great guy who just lost his wife and now has a little girl to take care of. So, you can understand why people would be more than a little… offended if someone came and started causing trouble for him. Right?" Mike asked, looking the other man in the eye.

Putting his coffee down, Hendrickson returned the favor and didn't allow his gaze to wander. "Look, I'm after a couple of guys by the name Sam and Dean Winchester and…"

"… and you thought David was one of them? Man, you really have your signals crossed. David over there doesn't even go above the speed limit, he turns his library books in early, and don't even get me started about what he does at the church for Christmas. So, if you think that he's one of the Winchester boys… let me give you some advice – you're barking up the wrong tree, mister. Go back and rethink your theory, 'cause right now you're starting to make the wrong people nervous."

By the time Mike left the table and Hendrickson looked back to where the man called 'David' had been sitting, he was gone. 'Damn it!' he thought, wondering how he could have allowed himself to be duped like that.

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Bobby had been worried before, he hadn't expected Sam to be gone so long, but then again, when had the boy ever done what was expected. His worries didn't get any better when his phone rang and on the other end was Twyla telling him about what happened at the diner. He was about to call Sam when he heard the truck pull in, but any questions looked like they were going to have to wait.

As Sam walked in the door, Bobby could tell that everything had finally caught up with the boy and he watched as Sam smiled at him slightly before looking at the stack of books.

"I think I'll do a Scarlett O'Hara, Bobby. Good Night."

Wondering what had really occurred; Bobby only nodded and thought about what Twyla told him.

"_Everyone in town is going to call him David O'Halloran, so don't be shocked."_

Shocked wasn't exactly what he would have called it, but it was close enough. There had been a David O'Halloran who lived in town, but he had disappeared after his wife Meredith had killed herself leaving him and their baby Casey behind. If everyone was going to resurrect David for Sam, then who was he to complain, after all, the background would check out when Hendrickson checked, so maybe it would give Sam a little bit of time. He _hoped_ it would give Sam a little bit of time, because at this rate, the kid would end up killing himself.

Sam had gently crawled into bed and curled up next the Dee enjoying her smell and feel of her hair. She was his little girl and he would protect her with everything he had, and when it was time for her to go, he would make sure that she knew he loves her more than anything else in the world. It was the one thing he could give her, and he was determined to make sure he did. With that last thought, he drifted to sleep content in knowing that for tonight, she was safe in his arms and everything was right with the world.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: hey there... hope you enjoy this one... see you soon!

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Bobby had decided that it was past time to get back to the junk yard and help Ellen figure out what was really going on with Hendrickson, leaving Sam and Dee alone at the house in the woods. Dee had spent the whole time staring out the window while pretending to eat her breakfast and Sam knew exactly what his little girl wanted. A few days ago she had snuck out of the house after seeing a couple of deer by the treeline, by the time Bobby had caught up with her she had gone further into the woods than any of them thought a small child would be brave enough to go. It had taken the rest of the day to calm Sam down enough to let her out of his sight long enough for her to go to the bathroom. Since then she hadn't been outside and it was starting to show.

Putting the dishes in the sink, Sam turned to Dee. "Hey Babygirl, how about we go outside for awhile? Maybe we can find those puppies you said you saw the other day during your little adventure."

It didn't take long for Dee to run into their bedroom, grab her sandals and beat him to the door. "Ready Daddy!" she exclaimed while jumping up and down.

Laughing, Sam wondered how many times her other daddy had done the same thing for her, or was he so involved with work or school that he found time slipping by too fast. Shaking the thoughts away, he smiled at her and let her lead the way to where she had gone the other day. It took awhile since she insisted on showing her daddy every flower and bird they came across, but finally Sam started to hear the whimpering of small puppies.

"See Daddy, see!" Dee said as she pointed to the small fur balls.

Sam saw alright, and the look of happiness on Dee's face almost shadowed the fact that those weren't pups from a stray dog. "Come on baby, we need to go, their mommy will back soon and she won't be happy."

The whole trip back to the house had been with Dee being carried by a practically running Sam and little Dee asking the same question, "Can we keep 'em Daddy? Can we?"

After putting Dee down for an early nap, Sam called Bobby for some help. After explaining the situation he had to hold the phone away from his ear. _"She found what! Damn it Sam, she's reminding me of you more and more every damn day. Leave it to a Winchester to find a den of Were pups! I think you all have a freakin' compass that draws you to the…"_

Sam had stopped listening to Bobby, because he was pretty sure what was coming next…

"…_and of course you went into those woods unarmed didn't you? Good thing that mother didn't show up…"_

Smiling, Sam thought about the smile Dee gave him and he had to wonder how such a little girl could be so bold as to not just find the pups but play with them too. Oh, he had no doubt that she had; finding them would have been Dean, playing with them would have been him, and trying to correlate the two was starting to get amusing. Sensing that Bobby was starting to wind down, Sam tuned back in and was relieved to hear that Bobby would come by and take care of the 'problem'. It wasn't that he couldn't take care of the pack; it was he wanted to still be able to look his little girl in the eyes when she asked where they went. It might have been the coward's way out, but at the moment he didn't care, he had less than two weeks with Dee and he didn't want to waste a moment of it.

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It had taken a while, but Bobby had finally found the den and took care of the pups. He wondered about the mother, but then again, from what he saw she had been gone for several days which wasn't a good sign for the pups she left behind. Walking up to the house Bobby wasn't sure how he was going to look at that little girl, but then again it wasn't the first time he ever lied to a little Winchester, but he hoped to God it would be the last. Opening the door, Bobby wasn't exactly sure what he was seeing or smelling, but from the look on Dee's face it was something that she liked.

"Look Uncle Bobby, Daddy made play do!" Dee said as she took a small ball from the table and put it in her mouth.

Shocked, Bobby stared in horror at the sight of the tiny girl eating Play-Do! "Oh my God! Dee don't… I mean… ugh… Sam, don't just stand there… DO SOMETHING!"

Dee started to giggle while Sam snickered, "Don't worry Bobby, its edible play do. I found the recipe online and we decided to try, right baby?" They watched as Dee looked at Bobby with wide eyes while nodding her head enthusiastically.

Not sure exactly what to think about it, Bobby decided to leave the whole subject alone, and instead accepted the beer that Sam offered him. Looking at the bottle, Bobby had to laugh, he had bought what he thought would be enough for both boys to wait out the end of the deal. Now though it looked like he was going to have to drink Dean's portion otherwise there would be a lot left over. Chancing a glance, he could tell that Sam had barely made a dent in it which wasn't surprising since he had taken his role as daddy seriously from day one.

"Hey Sam, you think I can pry you away from your hidden culinary talents for a moment?" he asked, hoping that they could talk about what he found while Dee was preoccupied with eating her clay.

After filling Sam in on what he found out they both agreed not to mention it in front of Dee, and if she did they'd find some way of dealing with it; neither wanted a heartbroken three year old on their hands. Knowing that Ellen would be by later in the afternoon, Bobby decided to make a break for it before a certain little girl got wise to what was going on. As the door closed, Sam was sure he heard Bobby mumble something about 'tiny Winchesters… smarter than they need to be.'

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Something pulled him out of a wonderful dream, he was with Jess and Dee at the beach watching the surf come in. It was a nice feeling, and he hadn't wanted to leave, but something had tugged him back and it took him a moment to remember where he was. Remembering the house in the woods with Dee by his side he was content to go back to sleep, until he realized what was wrong; Dee was burning up.

"Dee, baby, come on sweetheart, you have to wake up for Daddy." Sam said, scrambling off the bed and scooping her into his arms. He knew it was normal for children to come down with colds at the drop of a hat, but he also knew that you should be able to wake one up too.

Making a snap judgment, he grabbed his phone and called Bobby to let him know what was going on before securing Dee into her seat and rushing to the hospital. The doctors and nurses allowed him to stay with her but it didn't help his worry, in fact it increased with each vial of blood they took, and each concerned look that passed across the doctor's faces. It was a couple of hours before a middle aged doctor who looked like he had passed up trying to keep in shape a long time ago came into the room and looked kindly at Sam.

"I'm Dr. Rivers and I've been assigned to Dee's case. It looks like your little girl has contracted a nasty bacterial infection, and it's going to take some intensive IV therapy on our part as well as some stubbornness on hers to pull her out of it."

Sam sat stunned; did he hear what he thought he heard? Could his little girl die right there in front of him without him being able to do anything?

"I'm not going to lie to you, this strain is tenacious but we have the medicines here so we won't have to fly her anywhere for more advanced treatments. We may have to put her on a respirator, but that is only if we think that the infection is weakening her to the point that she needs help to breathe; she's not there yet, so that's something to be thankful for." Dr. Rivers said while watching the young man before him. He hated having to break this type of news to a parent of a small child; it made his job so much harder. "Do you have any questions?"

Shaking his head, Sam could only watch Dee's little chest rise and fall, caught up in the idea that if he didn't then it would surely stop.

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Bobby and Ellen had quickly become a fixture at the hospital, both trying to get Sam to take a break; even though they both knew that it was a futile effort. As soon as word got out about little Dee in the hospital, several people insisted on making sure that Sam had anything he needed while his little girl was there.

Twyla made sure to bring him meals and a thermos of hot coffee every day; while Mike made sure that everyone knew that the agent who had been snooping around was still out there and trying to get in the hospital.

Hendrickson had heard about David O'Halloran's little girl being hospitalized and wanted to see for himself that this little girl wasn't the one he saw with Sam Winchester. However, the doctors had insisted that unless he had a warrant or proof that he was a family member, he wasn't getting in. Making a phone call to his partner in Washington, he filled him in on the situation. What he heard didn't help, and that made him even angrier at the Winchester's.

"_Victor, look, they're about to pull you back in. There have been some sightings of the Winchester brothers, and they're nowhere close to South Dakota. I'm giving you a heads up, if you don't come in soon, they're going to send someone after you; and it won't be pretty."_

Finding out that one of the leads was in Florida while the other in Georgia made him want to hit something, but he also knew that if he didn't play by the rules for now he'd be pulled off this case and never allowed to get close to it again. "Josh, think you could run a background check on this David O'Halloran guy? I just want to make sure of what I've been chasing before I let the paper pushers get their way." After getting assurances that he'd get a call soon, he hung up and continued his wandering through the halls close to the PICU in case he could get a chance meeting with Sam Winchester, or better yet, his brother Dean.

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It had been four day since Sam had rushed Dee to the emergency room, four days since he found out that his little girl would be fighting for life, and four days since he had stopped living. Bobby wasn't able to bully him into eating or sleeping, but Ellen had been able to coax a cup of coffee or a little bit of a soda into him. The nurses were talking about getting a doctor to intervene, but after seeing the protective stances of both the Aunt and Uncle, decided to give it a little more time.

Sam was exhausted, but he wouldn't let himself give into the temptation of sleep. If he slept, she could slip away without him knowing, and that was unacceptable; he refused to lose anyone else. He carefully monitored everything the nurses did, and what Dr. Rivers said so he could analyze what it all really meant. Finally he understood, Dee was no better, but no worse and they were at a sort of a plateau until the tide turned one way or another. Meanwhile, his time with her was slipping away and he couldn't help but feel cheated.

Leaning back in the chair he was oddly thankful that Bobby and Ellen had both badgered him to at least taking a shower and changing his clothes. He had made sure that he was in down the hall in the family shower for no more than fifteen minutes, and only with the agreement that they both stayed with Dee while he was gone. Now that he was clean and shaven again, he felt some of the fog lift from his mind as well. He allowed his mind to drift over a couple of scenarios of what would happen if they were still in the hospital once the deal was completed, and none of them were reassuring. After all, how do you explain your full grown brother in the bed of what would be your missing baby's bed? Yeah, that could get a little complicated.

Movement grabbed his attention, and he was standing next to Dee within a moment. "Dee, sweetheart, wake up for Daddy baby." He said softly while stroking her head, he saw her move; he knew he had, but now she was still again and it broke his heart. Taking a step back, he was about to concede that it was his wishful thinking that had him excited when her tiny hand moved, as if looking for her daddy.

"That's right Babygirl, come back to Daddy." He said as he pushed the call button to summon the nurses. "Come on sweetheart, you can do it."

When the door opened, the on duty nurse walked in and witnessed Sam's excited stance. "She's waking up!" he said happily then watched as she smiled and rushed back out to bring Dr. Rivers in to see her.

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AN: Hope you liked it, I have a sick little one myself right now, so this one was for my little guy. :) 


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Hey everyone... I got a little distracted, so I hope this chapter is ok. Let me know!

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Sam had been ushered out into the hallway while Dr. Rivers and the nurses evaluated Dee. He heard the questions Dr. Rivers asked and he was in the process of rolling his eyes when he heard Dee snark out, "Gee, did it take you this long t' fig're tha' out doc?" making him laugh at the image she had to be portraying at the moment; a true "Dean moment". Watching the door closely, he inwardly sighed in relief when he saw the nurses rush out of the room trying hard not to laugh. Apparently they thought his questions were stupid too.

Walking back into the room, he saw Dee looking at the doctor with a set look on her face and he had to wonder what had gotten into her. When she saw him he found out quick enough. "DADDY! He ask'd if I miss'd you! I think he's dumb."

Not certain if he should be horrified or amused, he settled for pleasantly relieved and sat next to her on her bed and pulled her into his lap. Looking at the doctor he finally asked, "I take it she's better?"

Smiling, the doctor shook his head at the humor he saw in Sam's face and answered, "Oh, I should say so. I still want to keep her for another twenty four hours, but if she's still improving at this rate I'd be comfortable with sending her home tomorrow afternoon."

"Yay! Daddy, can we make more Play Do?" she asked, already cuddling up against her daddy.

Nodding, Sam fought back the tears knowing that his little girl was going to be alright, he just prayed she would stay that way.

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Hendrickson had been waiting on the phone call, and was about to call back when his cell phone rang in his pocket. Glaring at a disapproving nurse, he answered brusquely then waiting for the news.

"_Alright, David O'Halloran, age 25, blonde hair, hazel eyes, approximately 6'3, disappeared with his daughter after his wife committed suicide. He has parents in Seattle, Washington, but no one too close; an Aunt and Uncle in the area, but no real mention of any other family. Does that help?"_

Knowing that he could tell the truth and be written up as a stubborn bastard, or lie and keep his post, he hedged his bets. "Maybe, look if this David guy has suddenly appeared, then there has to be a reason. He's not just going to stop in after walking away from everything…"

"_Victor, you need to let it go. I know for a fact that you're about to get a call any minute and if you don't do what they want, you'll be kicked out of the Bureau. I got that straight from Manning, who played golf with the higher ups yesterday. Apparently there's still some flack going on about you losing the Winchester brothers in Milwaukee, they aren't giving you anymore leeway."_

"Damn it, don't they get that I could have the younger brother in custody by tonight if people would just get out of my way?" he asked fiercely. It was the one thing that he hated about the FBI; even field agents had to deal with office politics sometimes. "Look, give me two days; if I can't find the proof they need in that time, I'm on the next flight to Georgia. Find a way to stall." Cutting the call without even waiting for a reply, he knew that he just put his friendship on the line, but then again, friendships just got in the way of the bigger picture; and right now that was bringing in Sam and Dean Winchester.

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Dee had been released late the next afternoon, and slept the whole ride home. Sam was just happy to have her riding shotgun with him and knew that they had less than a week left before she was gone again. Pulling to the side of the house, he knew that Ellen would be there waiting, just like she promised. He knew that he should be thankful that she and Bobby were around, but at the moment he wanted to be selfish and spend as much time as he could with her. Unfortunately, he might not have that opportunity if Hendrickson ever got a whiff of where he was.

Picking Dee up out of the truck, he was content to keep her in his arms forever, which brought song lyrics from Dean's tape collection to mind. Shaking his head, he had no intention of having the voice of Ozzy Osborn playing in his head for the rest of the night. Walking in the house he was pleasantly surprised when he saw dinner was already made and on the table with a bouquet of balloons tied to the back of a chair for Dee.

When Dee felt the truck stop, she didn't want to open her eyes. She knew that her Daddy would pick her up and carry her and Page inside, and that was something that she liked a lot. She had told Page several times that there wasn't anyone in the whole wide world as big and strong and smart as her Daddy and Page never disagreed; which meant she was right. Seeing the balloons made her smile, but she wasn't ready to let go just yet, so she made sure to tighten her arms and legs so she wouldn't be put down.

Laughing, Sam knew what Dee was doing, and under the circumstances he wasn't going to force her to sit down. "Ok Babygirl, you don't have to get down, but how about loosening your grip a little so Daddy can breathe?"

Ellen and Bobby laughed at the sight of Dee hanging onto Sam like a koala bear and they both wondered what was going to happen when Dean came back. They both had heard about what happened after Jessica's death, and they worried that the same thing would happen when Dee was gone.

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Knowing that his time was running out, Hendrickson took a chance, and went to the Sheriff's office. Normally he would have made this his first stop, charging in and demanding answers, but at the moment, he knew that if the Sheriff decided to call in his credentials he wouldn't have to worry about his two day limit.

Deputy Sheriff Brown wished that he had stayed in bed. He knew who the man was standing out in the bullpen asking questions, but what was a person to say, "You're not going to get what you want because everyone here knows the Winchester's, and most owe them in one way or another"? Not too professional, not to mention extremely stupid. Sighing, he turned his back to the scene and drank some more of what they insisted was coffee, but he knew that it was some herbal crap that Zelma had brought in to 'help everyone focus'. Right, like anyone really needed to focus in their small town.

Hearing the knock on the doorframe, he knew who it was and sent a silent prayer for patience up to the heavens before he turned around. "Yes, may I help you?"

Flashing his ID Badge, Hendrickson got to the point. "I'm looking for a young man by the name of Sam Winchester; I believe I saw him in a diner posing as a David O'Halloran."

Nodding, Brown smiled and motioned for the other man to sit down. "I know who you are agent, and I have to say I'm surprised that you waited this long to come see us. Yes, we all know both Sam and David, and most of the towns folk are wondering how in the world you could have gotten those two mixed up." Holding up his hand he cut Hendrickson's statement off. "Look, we all get that they look similar because of their height and build, and they both are pretty mild tempered, but I have to tell you, David doesn't have a pit bull for a brother. Trust me; I learned that the hard way years ago."

After being told that the Sheriff was out of the office for the day but he could talk to the Deputy Sheriff, Hendrickson had a feeling that he should have just stayed in bed. Talking to the man for less than two minutes, and he knew for certain. "Alright, so what you're telling me is that Sam Winchester isn't here in this town, am I right?"

Brown looked at the man across from him and wondered how this was going to end. From the complaints that he'd been getting, this guy had been borderline stalking people who had come in contact with 'David' since he came in town, and now he was asking a direct question about Sam. Definitely a day he should have stayed in bed. He had every intention of giving this agent the courtesy of being a fellow law enforcement officer, he really did, but then the guy just had to piss. him. off.

"Look, you and your backwoods citizens can try and convince yourself that you're doing the right thing and then go about you business with cake walks, barbershop quartets and I don't give a rat's ass, but let me tell you that the Winchester's are dangerous and if you don't do something then you're going to start finding people dead in their beds. Are you willing to have that on your conscience, _Deputy Sheriff_?" Hendrickson yelled ignoring the stares the others were tossing in their direction.

Having his quota of crap for the day, Brown decided that enough was enough, "Agent Hendrickson, you seem to forget that you have no jurisdiction here. You've broken enough protocol's that they could use this whole visit as a 'What not to do" class in itself. I shouldn't have to remind you that you have no back up, you have no clearance, you have no leads, and if I hazard to guess I bet if I called your Supervisor right now you'd be on the next plane to Washington. So before you start slinging insults, _agent_, I suggest you remember you're only still in this 'backwoods' town because we haven't thrown you out. Now, as a courtesy, I'm informing you that I am calling your Supervisor and I am letting them know that one of their _off-duty_ agents is snooping around making a horses ass not only out of himself, but the Bureau as well." Pausing for breath, he noted the anger in the other man and knew that he really shouldn't push, but the guy was asking for it. "So, while you're waiting for the phone call saying to go home, why don't you head over to the diner down the street; today they have blueberry cobbler and it goes quick, so I suggest you hurry."

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He had no idea how Bobby did it, he really didn't. Sam had only mentioned in passing how Dee had been hoping to ride a pony, and before he knew it they all were on a ranch watching Dee pick out which one she wanted to ride.

'Skeeter' Lewis owned the horse ranch and knew Bobby for several years. So when his friend had called saying that he had a little great niece who wanted to go riding, he couldn't say no. Seeing Sammy Winchester all grown up had been an added bonus, and to find out that he had a little girl too was just icing on the cake. "You know Sammy, I remember when I first met you; you weren't too much bigger than your girl there. Where does the time go boy?"

Smiling, he knew that Mr. Lewis had known his dad a long time ago, but he didn't remember the first time ever meeting him. Turning his attention back to Dee he was anxious to find out which one she was going to pick. Somehow he knew she'd find the one that was the most dangerous for such a little girl to be on. If he only knew that her eyes weren't set on ponies any more, he would have been more frightened.

"Tha' one Daddy!" she exclaimed, pointing at a full grown mare who looked like she wanted nothing to do with having little girls ride on her back.

Sam heard Mr. Lewis laugh at Dee's choice and knew that he was in trouble. Turning to the man he waited before asking what was so funny, what he heard didn't help his anxiety at all.

"Oh, just leave it to a Winchester to pick the most damn stubborn horse I have on the ranch. Don't get me wrong, she won't hurt you… much, as long as you keep in mind whose boss – her." Skeeter said wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "If that's the one little missy wants, I have to insist that you ride with her."

Sam heard the words, but the meaning was lost on him until he heard Dee squeal, "Yay! We ride tog'ther Daddy!" Then he knew that his nightmare had really begun.

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Sam had kept Dee inside and mostly in bed the last few days, and when he finally announced she could go outside today, she blurted out that she wanted to go on a pony ride. Bobby couldn't help but look at the calendar, and he hated himself for it. They only had a few days left with Dee, and there he was thinking about Dean. Feeling like a fool, he was wishing that he was at Skeeter's ranch watching Sam and Dee, but he also had the distinct feeling that he and Ellen were cramping them at the moment.

Going outside, he was about to go towards his workshop when he heard a car pull into the yard. Seeing that it was Deputy Sheriff Brown he relaxed and walked over to the man who was starting to get out of his cruiser. "Mike, what can I do for you?"

Smiling, Mike Brown shook his head, "This is more of an unofficial official visit Bobby." Seeing the other man's frown he continued, "I've stalled, redirected, and even made phone calls, but my boss feels that the only way to get rid of this annoying agent is for him to meet 'David', unfortunately so does Hendrickson's bosses. They all feel that the sooner he sees our David the sooner he'll leave without causing anymore of an incident."

Groaning, Bobby knew that there was no way that they could get Hendrickson and Sam in the same room, much less close enough for a positive ID. How Sam had been able to get away from the agent the last two times they met up Bobby had no idea, but he was positive that the boy had used up whatever luck he had in doing so.

"Look, I came by to let you know that we're supposed to all meet casually at the diner after lunch, apparently no one wants it to look like a witch hunt." The younger man said, looking sheepish while he did so. Their only hope was to get Sam and his little girl out of the area before then, when he mentioned it Bobby he got a look on his face that he didn't like.

"We have a problem; I sent them over to Skeeter Lewis' so Dee could ride one of the ponies. Then they were going to try and sneak in and visit Twyla at the diner… for lunch."

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Sam remembered renting a couple of horses with Jess and that experience had proven that he wasn't meant to be a cowboy. Looking at Dee though and seeing not only her excitement but her confidence in him, he couldn't say no. Watching one of the ranch hands saddle the mare, Sam was determined not to let his little girl down. It took only a few moments and a few instructions from the handlers before he was swinging his leg over and positioning himself in the saddle, praying that he and Dee didn't get thrown off. Looking down at Dee he knew that even if they did, he would make sure that he was the one who took the brunt of the fall.

Holding up her arms, Dee was ready for her Daddy to pick her up so they could ride. When she was sitting in front of him she squealed happily while looking up at his smiling face. Everything would be alright, he knew that now; all he needed was for her to be happy, and everything else would fall into place.


	12. Chapter 12

After following the path that Mr. Lewis had pointed out, Sam and Dee were back at the barn with the little girl chattering away at the horse as if it was a real person interested in everything she said. Sam couldn't help but smile, and continued to hold her tight until one of the helpers could take her.

"You know, I haven't seen Brunhilda take to anyone like she's taken to you two. If I didn't know better, I'd saw she actually liked you Sam." Skeeter Lewis said smiling at the young man awkwardly getting off the horse.

Sam shook his head, "I promise you Mr. Lewis, it wasn't me, it was all Dee."

Both men laughed at the puzzled look on Dee's face when she turned her attention back to them. "Wha's funny Daddy?" she asked, wondering if they were laughing at her.

"It's ok Babygirl, we weren't laughing at you. We think it's funny that the horse only really likes little girls."

Not fully understanding the problem, she shrugged her tiny shoulders and scrambled onto the fence before giving the mare a hug around the neck. "Of course she does… she a girl too silly Daddy!" she said firmly, sending both men into another fit of laughter that she didn't understand at all.

Knowing that he was lucky to have kept Dee occupied for this long, Sam thanked Mr. Lewis for the ride, and took Dee to the truck. After getting her situated, he was about to shut her door when she looked at him with her wide eyes and announced. "I's goin' t' have a horse jus' like Br'nhlda, Daddy… an' you can ride her always!" Sam thought about that for a moment and wondered why he felt a sense of sadness when he heard her say that. It took him a moment to remember that she wasn't really his, at least not here and that she might have a horse someday; but he would never see it.

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Lillian couldn't believe what she was hearing, and in fact asked Wicca to repeat it… twice! "You want me to do what? Are you out of your mind, don't bother answering, I already know the answer to that." She said peevishly. It wasn't what she had been advised to do that upset her; he could do it with her eyes closed. What upset her was she thought she had made sure that her debt to the Winchester's was paid; if she kept this up, she'd have a target on her back and that she couldn't allow. "Wicca, are you sure he needs this?... Yes, I know that he and his brother are wanted men… No, of course I don't want my spell to be for nothing… Oh for… Ok, I'll do it, but I need to let him know of this one."

As she reached for her phone she couldn't help but wonder if she was ever going to be done with the Winchester's, then again it could be advantageous to know a couple of hunter's willing to help out occasionally. Sighing, she dialed the number and waited for the call to connect.

"_Hello?" _Sam answered, not recognizing the number.

"Sam, its Lillian… look, don't say anything just listen… I know that Dee is next to you and I don't want her to get the wrong impression, so I'll make it quick… I've been advised to cast another spell, this time on you." She heard his quick intake of breathe, and she was certain that she could hear his heartbeat increase from where she was. "Sam, don't panic, it's really to help… I need to cast a spell that will camouflage you from those who would do you and Dean harm, do you understand?"

A small chuckle was her immediate response, then a hesitant, _"Not really, but I have a feeling that won't matter. Look, Lillian, I appreciate what you've done, but I really have to say…"_

"Quiet Sam, just remember to play along with whatever someone says to you, at least until the spell on Dean is lifted, alright?"

"_Uh, sure… oh, about that. How sure are you about what you told me, you know about the deal and stuff."_

Smiling, Lillian answered, "I'm positive Sam, although I'm not certain about the time frame now, it could be longer that the initial date. We've really stirred up some drama in the underworld and…"

"_Is there trouble?"_ he asked, his voice suddenly changing from cordial to steel.

"No Sam, nothing like that. Dee is safe, as are you and your brother. I just wanted to let you know that it might be a few extra days. Until then, play along with whatever disguise you have going, because I have it on good authority that you're going to need it sooner than you think."

Sam pondered what Lillian said before she hung up and finally put the phone down. Looking at Dee, he asked, "You ready for lunch? I think we can sneak in and see Twyla for a few minutes."

"Yay! I like Tw'la!" Dee said, remembering how nice she was when she visited at the hospital. Now they were going to go see her, she had the best Daddy of all!

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Twyla knew that Sam and his little girl Dee would be there for lunch unless someone called and said that the agent was close by. However, at this point she didn't care. She had always liked Sam, even when she had the biggest crush on his brother, but now that she's seen how he is with Dee, she couldn't help but fall for him. It hadn't taken a rocket scientist to know that little Dee had been born while Sam was at college, and knowing that he was someone who would never cheat, it made sense that he was now a single daddy.

She thought sadly about the day they had gotten the news that Sam was no longer at Stanford because his apartment caught fire and killed his girlfriend. Everyone felt sorry for him, knowing that she had to have been someone special to catch his heart. Now they all have seen his little girl, and although the questions kept piling up about her, it didn't take long for the elderly Widow Brewster to set everyone straight. _"You can't expect that boy to be running from the law and dragging that baby with him, now do you?"_ she had asked everyone, obviously exasperated about the town's lack of brains.

Sighing, Twyla had to wonder about that too. There was no way that Dean could have killed those women in St. Louis; the most obvious reason was… he loved women too much! As far as Sam went, she could see him following his big brother around, but that didn't make him a murderer either. Now if they could just get that moron of an agent out of the way, then Sam and Dee could come by and relax. Just another customer coming for lunch, not anything special… nope… she couldn't even lie to herself – drat!

Seeing the black truck pull up and Sam step out the driver's side, Twyla couldn't get rid of the goofy grin on her face. It only got wider as she watched him help Dee out of her seat and onto the pavement. As they walked in, Dee was still chatting about the horse that she rode and Twyla thought she had to be the most adorable doll.

"Hey you two, I was wondering if we were still on for lunch." She said, walking them to a table by the window. "Now, if I remember right… Dee you want chocolate milk, with a grilled cheese sandwich, but no tomato soup, right?" she laughed when she saw the little girl look at her with amazement. "and for Daddy over here, he's probably feeling a little more along the lines of the special with a salad and big cup of coffee heavy on the sugar."

Sam smiled at Twyla; she sure knew how to entertain Dee. "Yeah, thanks again Twyla. We were starting to go a little stir crazy; you know there's only so many times a guy can cook up edible play do without starting to wander about his own masculinity." He said lightly.

Laughing, Twyla put her hand on Sam's shoulder, "I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. Give me just a minute and I'll bring your lunches out."

Dee watched Twyla leave and then looked back at her daddy in awe. "Did you hear tha' Daddy? She knew wha' I want'd!"

"Um hmm, and I bet if you eat your lunch, she'll be able to tell you what you want for dessert." He said mysteriously, as if he was just in awe of their waitress as she was.

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Bobby didn't know whether to be worried or mad. He'd been trying to call Sam, but all he got was the voicemail, which didn't alleviate his fears at all. There they were with two days until Dean's deal was due, and now Sam has dropped off the radar. Ok, that wasn't entirely true, he knew that he hadn't really even started looking yet, but just the thought of that boy being in lock up while little Dee was in foster care until… until what? According to a witch, the hellhounds wouldn't come, but what if she was wrong? Not wanting to think about that scenario, he was determined to find Sam and drag him back to where he knew they would be safe.

Pulling into the diner, he was relieved to see the truck, but got upset when he saw Sam sitting at the window as if he hadn't a care in the world. Before he could even get out of his own vehicle though, another cruiser pulled up and he saw Agent Hendrickson get out with his normal arrogant swagger as if he had every bit of authority to do whatever he wanted. Of course the Sheriff was right beside him as they walked into the diner and Bobby knew that he needed to get in there quick.

Sam saw Agent Hendrickson and started to panic until he remembered what Lillian told him. Taking a deep breath he turned to Dee. "Babygirl, I need you to stay very quiet for me, ok? If anyone asks your name, don't answer. Can you do that for Daddy?" he asked, hoping that this would work; otherwise Dee could be in a foster home by the end of the day.

Hendrickson and the Sheriff talked to Twyla for a moment, and the waitress wasn't happy with the conversation but pointed to the booth that Sam and Dee were in. As the Sheriff escorted Hendrickson over to the booth, Bobby slipped in across from Sam with a 'what the hell' look, only to have him wink back in return. Wondering what was going on, Bobby looked at Dee to see if she had a clue, but she looked at him with wide eyes as if she was wondering too.

"David, it's good to see you back." Sheriff Larsen said jovially before getting to the business at hand. "As you know, Sam and Dean Winchester got into some trouble and the FBI has been looking for them. Now this gentleman here is Agent Hendrickson, and he believes that you're actually Sam in disguise. I really hate to disturb you and your daughter during lunch, but we need to get this cleared up."

Sam felt as bewildered as Bobby looked. Hoping that Lillian knew what she was doing, then glancing at Dee and deciding that the witch seemed to, he answered, "Sure thing Sheriff, it's not really a problem I guess. You know Sam and I were always being told that we looked more like brothers than him and Dean." Pausing for a moment, he looked at Bobby then at Hendrickson, "So, you really think I'm him? I mean, no offense agent, but as you can see I have a little girl to take care of, and I wouldn't know when I'd have the time to go traipsing off cross country like they seem to be doing."

Hendrickson saw the man in front him, heard the man in front of him, and had to wonder if he really was seeing what he thought he was seeing. This couldn't be the same man that he saw in here that night. "So, if you haven't been going all over the place, how about you telling us where you've been since you're wife died!" he demanded, not expecting the results that occurred.

"Mommy dead Daddy?" Dee cried out, her eyes widened in horror and tears flowed down her face.

Horrified about what just happened, Sam scooped up Dee and whispered in her ear. "It's alright Babygirl, shhhh, it's ok…." only vaguely hearing Bobby talking to the other men.

"Look, as you can see, David hadn't exactly talked to his little girl about it. So, could you give us…"

"What the hell did you two morons do?" Twyla yelled, she had been nervous about this encounter, and had hoped that Sam could find a way out of this mess, but when she had looked earlier, he was having a nice chat with not only the Sheriff, but with the agent as well. Now though, Dee was crying as if her heart was broken and both the Sheriff and the agent looked like they had both been kicked in the balls.

Sheriff Larsen had no idea what had happened, he knew David O'Halloran as well as most of the people in town, so when he saw him with his little girl, he hadn't thought that she didn't know; she was what… three? Plenty old enough to start asking questions about a missing mother.

Wondering what was going on, Hendrickson looked carefully at the man in front of him and started to really see the differences between Sam and David. Knowing that the Winchester's weren't going to go so far as have plastic surgery, he started to feel that maybe he was on the wrong track after all. Maybe he should head out while he still could.

"I believe that I should take my investigation elsewhere Sheriff. If you hear anything, please notify me immediately; they both are still considered armed and dangerous."

The Sheriff and Hendrickson were still talking as they walked out the door leaving behind the mayhem that they caused. Seeing the men leave, Sam wiped Dee's tears away and softly said, "Dee, your mommy is fine. She's not dead, I promise… ok?"

Dee was more than a little confused, she heard her daddy act as if he was someone else and then the mean man asked her daddy about her mommy, but now her daddy said that her mommy was fine. Curling up closer, she laid her head on her daddy's chest and listened to the thump thump of his heart and let it guide her to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: hey everyone... hope you like this chapter...

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Sam wasn't certain how much longer he had with Dee, and although he tried to console himself with knowing that he'd have his brother back, it wasn't taking the edge off his pain. The incident at the diner made it especially clear to how much he was tied to his little girl, the pain that she felt had cut him deeply making him wish he could just put her in a bubble and protect her always.

Bobby had made sure that the coast was clear before calling and inviting them to stay with him for whatever time remained with Dee. He didn't want to let Sam out of his sight when everything was said and done. Sam might say that he was fine, but he knew better; the kid was being torn in two and in different directions as well. All he could hope for was that it would be over and done soon so they could start picking up the pieces and get to gluing the kid back together.

Twyla could have wrung the Sheriff's neck, and told him so when he came back in for dinner. When he asked what the trouble was, she immediately dumped his coffee on him and told the man to take a hike. She wanted to make sure that Sam and Dee were alright, but didn't know how to get hold of him except through Bobby and she didn't want to see too forward. 'Yeah right!' she thought as she picked up the phone and called the familiar number. It rang twice before the familiar voice answered. "Bobby! Hey, I was wondering if you knew how I could get in touch with Sam."

"Uh, Twyla? Everything alright, that agent isn't back is he?" Bobby asked suddenly concerned.

"No, nothing like that. I just wanted to check up on him and Dee." She hoped that sounded more confident than she thought it did.

There was a pause before Bobby spoke again, "Actually, they'll be here soon. You know, I try not to pry into other people's lives, but Twyla you have to know…"

Laughing, Twyla rolled her eyes, "I know Bobby, he can't have a steady thing going. I was just hoping for coffee if he was up to it. Maybe a picnic before he and Dee leaves, that's all."

Bobby heard the wishful air that was behind the statement and wondered what it was about Winchester men that got the women falling over themselves. Rubbing his hand over his face he knew that he couldn't really say anything, he had felt the same way the day he met his wife. Ah hell… "I tell you what, I'll make sure he calls you as soon as he gets in and gets Dee settled. How's that?"

"Sounds great Bobby; thanks!" she said before hanging up the phone. She knew that Sam wouldn't be able to settle down, at least not until he was able to help Dean get out of the legal mess he was in, but hopefully he would know that when he was ready, she would be there.

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Sam had managed to load the truck and get Dee into her seat without any difficulty. He even made sure to put the beer in the cooler at the back of the truck so they wouldn't have to get more later. He didn't know about Bobby, but he knew that after all of this was over, he wasn't going to have a clear day for awhile.

"Daddy, you sure I can wear you're necklace?" Dee asked when her daddy got in the truck. She normally wore it at bedtime to help keep the bad dreams away, but now she was going to be able to wear it all the time.

Smiling, Sam looked at his little girl while starting the truck, "Sure sweetheart, I'm sure. You wear that always, ok"

Nodding, Dee was happy that her daddy trusted her not to lose it like she did the other necklace she had. She remembered that it had a lot of beads on it, and smelled funny, but she had lost it while playing in the sandbox with Dillon at preschool. Now all she had to do was keep it always and forever so that her daddy would know how special she thought it was.

The drive to Bobby's was mostly quiet with Dee watching everything out the window and Sam too deep in thought to worry about anything else besides getting from point A to point B. The radio was playing a song that Dee obviously liked the way that she tried to keep up with it, but settled into just humming along as if she knew the actual words. Sam couldn't help but wonder what he would think if he knew that he had been singing to the Goo Goo Dolls. Now that he thought about it, he knew what Dean would think about _him_ listening to the group.

Pulling into Bobby's driveway, he saw right away the spot that had been cleared for his truck, and he appreciated the gesture; it was right next to the Impala that had been carefully transported across the country. Trying hard not to cry, he got out of the truck and helped Dee out of her seat. Bobby was waiting on the porch with door wide open and a smile on his face.

"Hey there Dee, how about you come inside and help me with an ice cream problem I have." He said when she ran towards him, "It seems that news of a certain little girl being upset earlier caused an avalanche of every flavor you could think of being dropped by today." Looking at Sam he saw someone who was practically at the end of his rope and it wasn't a good look on the kid. "Come on Sam, you get some too. If you think I'm going to eat all of this by myself you're crazy!"

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He was tired, he couldn't sleep the night before so he stayed up and read some book of Bobby's about how having a flat tax would solve the nation's woe's. He hadn't really been interested in it, but he'd read every other book that was in the house, most of them more than once. Normally he'd be tearing into them some more, but he knew that if he continued looking at them he'd lose his mind. Today was technically his last day with Dee, but from what Lillian said it wasn't necessarily the case; that somewhere his brother's contract was being reviewed and debated all because of a spell that had been cast in an effort to help. Feeling the need to stretch some more, he went to get more coffee and saw that he had drunk a whole pot by himself. 'At least I didn't drink all the beer.' He thought, trying to keep things in perspective.

Hearing the sound of little feet on the stairs, he turned in time to see Dee jump into his arms with a big smile on her face. "Guess wha' daddy! I dream'd Mommy an' me an' you were on a pic'ic an' we had fun!"

Thinking about the phone call with Twyla the night before, Sam had an idea. "Hey Babygirl, how about you, me and Twyla have a picnic today. Does that sound like fun?" he asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

"YAY!!! Le's go Daddy!" she yelled, tugging her daddy towards the door.

Laughing, Sam stopped her and scooped her up into his arms. "Not so fast, we need to get dressed, brush our teeth, call Twyla and ask about the picnic…"

"K Daddy… you brush you'r teeth and I get dress'd!"

Sam was sure his little girl thought he had him fooled somehow, but as soon as she came back out in her favorite shirt and shorts, both with puppy paws all over it, he stood by her while she brushed her teeth and smiled when she stuck her tongue out at him. Apparently he was only being a good Daddy when he let her eat ice cream.

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The picnic was in full swing at the school playground and Dee wanted to show off on the monkey bars. With a promise that she could play after she ate her lunch, Dee immediately dug in and ate her sandwich and chips before running towards the playground toys.

"She's a handful isn't she?" Twyla asked, watching Sam as he got that wistful look about him again.

Sam watched Dee for a moment before turning to the woman in front of him. "Yeah, she can be. Thank you for inviting us, I know that you have other things to do…"

"Nope, not a thing. I was taking the day off anyway just to be a little different, but I hadn't made any solid plans." She said with a smile. It wasn't entirely true, she had taken the day off so she could cash in her 'Day of Beauty' gift certificate that her sister had given her as a present for 'working too damn hard.' She knew she could go to the spa anytime, but a date with Sam Winchester was much too rare.

As they continued to chat, they both would look over and watch Dee as she climbed around like a little monkey. Both laughed as she swung upside down and asked for a banana. Their laughs ended abruptly though when she started her flip to right herself and lost her grip; sending her crashing to the ground below.

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Sam hated waiting rooms; it was worse torture than anything else he could think of besides watching his baby girl tumble to the ground in slow motion and not being able to move fast enough to catch her. That was the worst thing he could ever image, and he knew that it would remain so for the rest of his life. A cup of coffee suddenly appeared in front of him and he stared at it dumbly before he followed the cup to the hand, to the arm, then to the body and finally the face of Bobby who was standing there with a worried look on his face.

"I take it no news yet?" he asked as he watched Sam beat himself up.

"Bobby, what if she gets sent back with brain damage or something? How am I supposed to live with that?" he asked hoping that it wasn't true, hoping that every horrific scenario playing in his mind wouldn't come true.

Looking at Sam, Bobby shook his head. "Now look, you need to quit doing this to yourself. You did everything you could, I heard all about how as soon as she started to slip you were up and racing towards her. How as soon as she hit the ground you were right there next to her yelling for help. Don't kick yourself, we're human, and that makes us a little slower than what we like sometimes."

Any response to Bobby's claim was cut off by the doctor. "I'll take you to Dee right now and we can talk on the way. As you know head injuries are tricky, but so far we haven't seen anything in the scans to indicate any problems. However, she hasn't woke up yet, and any further evaluation is going to have to wait until she does."

Both Sam and Bobby looked at the doctor and asked the same question, "How long?"

Seeing the distress in the men's eyes, the doctor could only answer, "Hopefully any minute now, but quite honestly I don't know."

Sam looked at Bobby while the doctor walked away. "She can't be here tonight Bobby, what if everything happens and she gets changed back!"

Bobby understood Sam's stress and had to wonder about it himself. Taking a deep breath, he calmly stated, "We'll wait until an hour before the deal was made, then we'll take her and go."

Comfortable with the plan, they both walked into the room and sat down next to the little girl who had stolen both their hearts.

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AN: Ok... don't shoot me... I'll update soon!!!! 


	14. Chapter 14

AN: ok, I should really warn you: first... you might need a hanky, second... there will probably be only one more chapter, third... I'm starting to think I shouldn't write when sick.

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Two and a half hours before the deal came due, Sam saw the most beautiful sight he could imagine; his little girl waking up. While Bobby rushed to get the doctor, Sam kept hugging Dee until she squirmed and whined to be let go.

"Daddy, wha'…?"

"You fell off the monkey bars and we've been waiting for you to wake up ever since." He said calmly, feeling as if he could finally take a full breath.

Shocked, Dee started to cry, "I mess'd up th' pic'ic!"

Bobby couldn't believe that that was what little Dee was worried about, "No you didn't. Your Daddy was trying to find a way to nicely tell Twyla that it was time to go, you just helped him expedite things a little."

Dee had no idea what that meant, but she could tell her Daddy wasn't mad, so she smiled and tried to cuddle up to him, pushing away the doctor in the process. "Go 'way! I wan' my Daddy!" she said stubbornly, making a point to look away from the other man.

Smiling, the doctor shook his head, "Alright, I can tell her reflexes seem to be good, and she's aware of you and her surrounding. Barring any complications I'd say she could go home as early as tomorrow morning."

Sam looked at Bobby then back at the doctor. "Is that really necessary? I mean we can watch her through the night and if anything seems wrong we can bring her right in."

The doctor looked over the chart again and smiled, "Sure, it was just going to be a precaution anyway, I don't see any cause for worry."

Relieved, both Sam and Bobby smiled and gathered Dee's things before rushing out without waiting for the release papers to be signed.

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Sam was happy to get back to Bobby's, he had no idea if anything would happen tonight, but he really didn't want to take the chance. Smiling, he picked Dee up out of the truck and made his way inside where Bobby had already made the bed for her upstairs. After slipping her into one of Dean's t-shirts and a pair of boxers that looked like they would come off if she turned the wrong way, he tucked her in then went into the kitchen and grabbed a beer. It was going to be a long night.

He and Bobby had finished off their second beer when they saw that it was getting close to time. Making their way back upstairs, they were surprised to see Dee sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Smiling, Sam walked over and pulled her onto his lap. "I hope you know Dee, I've had the greatest time lately, and it's all been because of you."

Dee looked up at her Daddy and smiled. "I love you Daddy!"

"I love you too Babygirl, how about we gets some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day you know." He said quietly, hoping that whatever happened, she would be happy.

Nodding, Dee settled in his lap and drifted back to sleep while he settled against the headboard. Bobby looked at the two and knew that Sam was being ripped apart at the moment. He could only hope that whatever happened, it happened quick, because he didn't think that the kid could take too much more of this.

Bobby heard movement and was about to open his eyes when he heard a very distinctive "What the hell Sam?" coming from the bed. When he looked over, Dean was standing at the side of the bed dressed in his t-shirt and boxers, while Sam looked like he had just lost his best friend.

Sam looked at Dean and couldn't bring himself to care about what his brother thought. Instead, got up off the bed and looked at Dean's incredulous expression. "It's good to have you back man." He said before turning to Bobby. "I think I'm going to get started now."

Dean watched Sam walk out of the room and was about to say something when Bobby interrupted. "Don't even think about it boy. Your brother's been through Hell and back and right now, no matter how much he's happy to see you, he's hurting. Now get dressed and come downstairs. I have a feeling that he's going to go for the gold this morning."

Standing in the middle of the room Dean could only stare at Bobby's retreating back and think, 'Everyone's lost their mind!'

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Both Bobby and Sam were outside with a cooler between them when Dean finally ventured out to join them. "Alright you two, what's going on? One minute we're in Virginia taking the night off and the next I'm all cozy with my baby brother and let me tell you something – even I'm not that kinky. So c'mon, spill!"

Sam looked at Dean then at Bobby before shrugging his shoulders, "You're not going to hell Dean."

Dean looked at Sam dumbly then smirked, "Yeah, ok, so what… suddenly you're freaky psychic thing has…"

"Quit being an ass Dean, the deal came due last night, you're still here… figure it out." Bobby growled, not really wanting to get into this conversation while he was still sober.

"Ok, figure what out?" Dean asked, getting impatient that Bobby thought he needed to field his brother's answers for him.

Suddenly Sam stood up, "I'm going for a drive."

"Sam," Bobby warned, he knew the kid hadn't had that many yet, but he didn't want to take the chance.

"I'll be fine Bobby… I just need to clear my head."

Worried about his brother's sudden change in attitude, Dean jangled the keys to the Impala, "Well, I don't think you're going to get too far without these."

Holding up his own set of keys, Sam continued to walk towards the truck. "Wanna bet?"

Dean and Bobby watched as Sam maneuvered his way down the drive and onto the road. Finally, Dean looked at the older man and demanded, "Ok, what the hell is going on around here?"

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Sam made sure to stay off the main roads, he had just started his second beer when Dean started getting demanding, but he also knew he was still tired from the whole ordeal. Glancing over to the passenger seat he saw Dee's car seat with Page lying in it. Choking back a sob, he swung to the shoulder and sat there with the truck idling while the radio playing softly _Wish You Were Here_.

"So what you're telling me is that I was turned into a girl? Tell me I was at least a cool girl, I mean c'mon how could I _not_ be right?" Dean asked Bobby with a suggestive gleam in his eye.

"Not a woman you jackass, a little girl… your _brother's_ little girl!" Bobby growled out, getting tired of the conversation while at the same time worried about Sam.

Stunned, Dean looked at Bobby, certain his friend was pulling his leg. "Wh – what?" he choked out cocking his head as if he hadn't heard properly.

"Just what I said, haven't you been listening? Damn it boy sit down! That witch you helped, turned you into Dee, Sam's three year old little girl. The only thing that we can think of is an alternate universe type thing, if you believe in that; and wouldn't we be fools not too this far in the game." He paused to give Dean a moment to catch up. The boy wasn't stupid, but sometimes it took him awhile to get there. "Anyway, the idea was that turning you into her would keep the contract in deadlock until it was nullified. They couldn't send an innocent to hell, and the spell wouldn't reverse itself until the danger had passed."

Dean sat there and listened, trying to wrap his head around everything. "So, where was I during all this?" he asked, getting a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"As far as we know, you were there too, just not aware. Look kid, I have no idea what to tell you. Your brother has been chased by the Fed's with a little girl in tow, which was bad enough, but then that Hendrickson guy shows up here and tries to make more trouble. On top of it all, you end up falling on your head on we spend most of yesterday in the hospital waiting for you to wake up so we can get you away from prying eyes in case you changed back last night. Of course you have to be different, 'cause I know for a fact that at three thirty this morning you were still a little girl."

Smiling, Dean looked at Bobby, "So, you were worried about me… that's sweet. How about we hug now?"

"Jackass!" Bobby groused, knowing that it was Dean's way of saying "thanks".

They both were startled by the sound of the truck pulling into the driveway, and they both watched as Sam sat there for a moment before getting out where Dean took a really good look at his brother. "Hey Pony, how's it going?" he teased, hoping that he'd get at least a grin out of him. When it didn't happen, he nodded. 'This is going to be harder than I thought.'

"Don't worry Dean, I'm not going to do anything stupid. I take it Bobby filled you in?" he asked, then seeing Dean's nod he reached in for another beer before tossing Bobby his keys.

"Sam, are you sure about…" Dean began, but then stopped when he saw the harsh look swung his way.

Tossing his phone to Dean, Sam gestured towards it. "Call Lillian, she can fill you in on anything we may have missed. Right now though, I want to get drunk and not come up for awhile. Anyone have any objections?"

Dean was about to voice his very loud and very clear when Bobby's voice broke through first, "Nah, it's not like you're going anywhere, right? Go ahead the cabinet's unlocked."

As they watched Sam walk back into the house, Dean started to get angry. Turning to Bobby he yelled, "What are you doing? He's a lightweight, you give him access to the cabinet and he'll be in the ER…"

"Dean, shut up. I know from first hand experience what it's like to lose someone you love… and so do you. I get that Dee isn't real to you, but for Sam and everyone else who met her, she is… not was, Dean, still _is_. Now we'll let him get drunk, and then after his hangover we'll deal with picking up the pieces. Until then, just… try to be a little more understanding."

Shocked, Dean watched Bobby go into the house before saying, "Hey, I'm understanding."

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Sam didn't even ask why he had drank so much, he already knew; and the gut wrenching pain he was going through couldn't even make him feel sorry for it. He lost his little girl, and he was entitled to jump off the deep in at least for a moment, right? He was thankful that Bobby had kept Dean off his back, because he didn't think he could have dealt with his brother right then.

Dean heard every sound that came out of the bathroom, and he wasn't sure which he should be; sorry for his little brother who was puking his guts out, or amused because his little brother thought he could hang with the big dogs and was now paying for it spectacularly. Finally hearing the water in the sink, Dean got up from the floor and waited by the door.

It took a few more minutes but when the door swung open and Sam staggered out, Dean couldn't help but smirk at the sight. His brother's now short blonde hair was sticking up all over the place while Sam's clothes looked like he'd slept in them for a month. "All right Sammy, time for you to tell me what's really going on in that freaky head of yours." He said, trying to sound understanding, but not quite able to pull it off.

Looking at his brother, Sam shook his head. "You wouldn't understand, and you mocking me right now isn't helping."

"Hey, I'm not mocking, I'm just trying to understand…"

"NO, you're trying to find a way to make it into something it's not. This is one situation that I'm not going to let you twist around, alright? Now if you can't just be here for me, then find someplace else to be." Sam yelled, groaning that every syllable seemed to amplify in his head.

Bobby had heard every word and wondered how Sam had kept from blowing up at Dean sooner. Sighing, he couldn't figure that boy out; it was as if Dean was being purposefully obtuse about the whole mess. Shaking his head, he called up the stairs, "Sam, Skeeter dropped something off for you. He said you'd probably like to have it."

Dean followed Sam down the stairs determined to find out what was really going on when Bobby grabbed his arm. "Boy, you do anything to hurt your brother anymore and I'll tan your hide."

Any response that Dean was going to make was cut off by the sound of Sam rushing out of the house followed by the truck being pulled out of the driveway. Running into the living room both men saw a photo on the coffee table. When Bobby saw it he cursed loudly before handing it to Dean. "You want to know what has your brother so damn tied up in knots? Here, now tell me how you would feel if you had to give up your little girl to get your brother back?"

Stunned by the outburst, Dean looked down at the picture in his hand and felt as if someone had kicked him in the groin. There in living color was a little girl who looked like a tiny version of his mother looking up at Sam. What really caught him though was how happy they were and the look that Sam was giving her showed just how much he really loved her. Now it made sense, now it had been driven home, and now he really did feel like the ass Bobby had accused him of being.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Hey everyone... here's the last chapter, and I have to warn you, you might need a hanky. Hope you all have enjoyed it, I know I've enjoyed writing it.

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It wasn't that he knew where he was going, which was good since at the moment he was sure he wouldn't have gotten there anyway. When he saw the picture of him and Dee it was as if a huge part of himself was ripped out and now the empty hole he thought he had numbed with alcohol made itself known again. As he continued to drive aimlessly down the back roads from Bobby's house he couldn't seem to put the thoughts and feelings together, just as soon as he got one conquered, it would fly past and be replaced with something else just as fast. He though he needed to get away from his brother, but now he knew that he had needed to get away from the reminder that Dee wasn't coming back. He knew that Bobby would miss her too, but they weren't going to be at Bobby's forever and he wished he had someone that he could share his grief with.

Driving into town he realized where he was going and he had no idea how he was going to handle the situation. He saw Twyla working through the window and when she looked up she could see that she had been crying. It took him a minute to understand why she was upset; Bobby must have called and come up with a story about why Dee wouldn't be around anymore. Then it hit him hard what the story would be and he was sure he wasn't ready for being around people.

A tap on his window brought him out of his reverie and he jumped slightly at the sound in surprise only to be more shocked to see who it was. Dean motioned for him to roll down the window then cocked his head towards the diner. "Come on, I'll buy you some coffee and a piece of pie. Then you can tell me about that cute little niece of mine."

When they entered the diner everyone suddenly stopped what they were doing and gave Sam sad heartfelt looks before resuming what they had been doing. On the way to the far corner booth Twyla intercepted Sam with a hug then looked at Dean, "I'll be right there, take care of your brother for me." Then with a slight nod she was off to tend to other customers until they were settled.

Sitting across from Sam, Dean could see how this was taking a toll on his little brother. So much so he had to wonder if this was actually worse than when he lost Jessica. "You know, we can sit here all day if you need to Sam, we don't have any place to be."

Sam looked at Dean suddenly and tried to determine if his brother was being facetious, but saw that he was really being serious and Sam couldn't help but be thankful for that. "I… I don't know yet, you know?" he asked, knowing that Dean probably didn't know but would sit with him anyway until he figured it all out.

Dean watched Twyla as she did another round for her customers before she grabbed two cups of coffee and some pie, somehow he knew that she and his brother had been getting in some serious together time and wondered how far it had gone. As she placed the coffees and pie down on the table Twyla sat next to Sam before pulling him into another hug.

"I am so sorry Sam. When Bobby called and told me what happened, I thought it was a cruel joke. We're all going to miss her too." Sam nodded but continued to look at the table while she continued, this time talking more to Dean. "I know that I don't have to tell you what a sweet baby she was, and how much she loved her Daddy; everyone saw it. Now I have to check on a few others but I'm here if you need me." Dean nodded and watched her leave the table before turning back to his brother.

"Sam, we don't have to do this. No one's going to think anything about you getting up and leaving right now." He said watching as his words slowly penetrated the fog that Sam was obviously wrapped up in. A slight nod was the only encouragement he needed to help Sam out of the booth and out the back door towards the Impala.

They drove in silence for close to an hour before Dean pulled off the side of the road. "She looked like Mom." He said plainly, hoping to open the conversation. Seeing the agreement in Sam's eyes he continued. "So, what was she like? Was she a real bad ass like me, or a panty weight like my geek boy brother?" he joked, and saw a slight twitch on Sam's face before the passenger door opened and his brother was on the grass puking what was left of his stomach out.

Rushing around the Impala, Dean felt like an idiot. Of course Sam would have this reaction, why wouldn't he, it was like losing everyone he'd loved all over again. Kneeling down next to him, Dean was surprised when Sam started talking hurriedly, as if it would be too painful to say any slower.

"She was beautiful Dean, just like Jess and I always dreamed. She was smart and funny, and looked at life with her eyes wide open. God Dean, she found a pack of werepups and wanted to keep them, can you imagine! She told a doctor he was stupid because he asked if she missed me even though I was in the hall. Dean there was so much of you and Jess mixed into one it hurt, but I loved every minute of it, I really did. I just wish I could have both of you, you know? I know that makes me selfish, but it's how I feel." Sam cried out, he couldn't help it, his little girl was back to where she belonged and even though he had Dean, he still felt the loss.

Dean sat there and pulled Sam to him and held him until his little brother's pain eased. Finally, he pulled back. "Sam, I wish I had been around to meet her, she sounds a lot like you. I can imagine her wanting to keep werepups and taking everything in that life has to offer 'cause dude, that is _so_ _you_. You compared her to me and Jess, but she was a part of you too and I'm sorry I didn't get that a first, but I do now. I'm also sorry that it was me that you got stuck with."

"What? Dean… no! That's not…"

"Man, I know… but I also know that you've lost the girl you were going to marry, you lost Dad, hell you lost me there for awhile as much of an ass I was being, and now you find out that somewhere out there in the great cosmic… whatever, you have that life that you wanted, and if Dee is any indication, then you're happy with everyone you love around you."

Sam looked at his brother and smiled, "So, who'd you talk to… Bobby or Lillian?"

"Are you kidding? Both! It took me awhile little brother, but I'm here for you and I want you to know that I may not understand what you're going through, but I'm not going anywhere." Dean said seriously, before he got up off the ground and swiped the grass from his pants. "But let me tell you, you mention this chick flick moment to anyone and I'll let them know that you like the Goo Goo Dolls."

Chuckling to himself, Sam watched as Dean walked back around the Impala and smiled, he was lucky, really lucky and he had just needed a moment to figure it out. Dean made it to the driver's door before he stopped and called out, "So Sam, mind telling me why I have a craving for Play- Doh?"

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Bobby was both sad and relieved to see the Winchester brothers pack up the Impala in preparation to leave. It had been a harsh couple of days after Dean came back and news of Dee's passing spread. He had forgotten that his house could hold that many people at one time. Sighing, he watched as Sam put the keys to his truck on the hook by the door, he knew that it would be a long while before he drove it again, but more than willing to look after it until he did.

"Bobby, thanks again for letting us crash here." Dean called out from the Impala while waiting on his brother.

Shaking his head he called back, "Yeah well, just don't make this a habit. I don't run no Motel 6 you know."

Sam laughed as he got in his brother's car and settled in for the drive ahead. They got word of some demons close to Memphis causing some problems, so they thought they'd see what they could do. After all, if his baby was out there somewhere safe, the least he could do was try to make someone else's baby here the same.

Dean pulled out of Bobby's drive in a good mood. They had a hunt, the deal was off his back, his baby was purring, and his little brother was by his side. He didn't have any illusions that everything was perfect, he knew better, but he knew that his little brother had faced his pain, and now was going to be able to deal with it. Of course if there was a time when the pain got too much, then Dean had a feeling that a small stuffed hound that just so happened to jump in his duffle while he wasn't looking, might just do the trick.

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AN: I hope I did the ending justice. Take care and see you soon! 


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